Lillee expects Tests still to bloom

Dennis Lillee, who took 355 wickets in 70 Tests for Australia, does not think the format is "in danger in the short term"

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Great Australia fast bowler Dennis Lillee has backed Test cricket to continue to function and thrive as the pinnacle of the game despite the explosion of interest in Twenty20.

Former Australia captain Greg Chappell outlined his concerns about the future of Test cricket on Thursday, suggesting the longest form of the game is under threat from the shortest.

Ever since the emergence of the newest form of the game in 2003, Twenty20 has been grabbing a progressively bigger slice of the International Cricket Council's schedule.

The cricket community's interest in the crash-and-bash format has also continued to build on the back of the introduction of the ICC World Twenty20, Indian Premier League and Champions League.

Lillee, speaking ahead of tomorrow night's Twenty20 clash between Australia and an All-Stars side he is coaching, was confident the traditional format had a bright future.

“Something that has lasted for what nearly 150 years now, I don't think it's in danger in the short term,” he said.

“It may become shorter, they're talking about it at night - I say it will change a bit but it will still be the true test of cricketer's skills - as cricket was meant to be.”

Lillee, a legend of Australian cricket throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, believed it was the unique character of Test cricket that would ensure its lifeblood.

“The other games are fantastic, Twenty20 is a great game, one-day cricket is a fantastic game - and that's nearly 50-years-old now,” he added.

“Test cricket, to me, was designed to test the skills of great players over a period of time -around five days.

“Everything varies so much in that time, so different players come into it at different times, you've got to assess the pitch and play differently.”

Lillee has entered the world of coaching as a one-off to launch Australia's summer of cricket this weekend.

The Western Australia Cricket Association president will take the reins of a talent-laden side, with Australian domestic cricket's best lining up alongside recent retirees Adam Gilchrist, Matthew Hayden, Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne.

Warne, who has not rolled his arm over competitively since captaining the Rajasthan Royals in the 2009 IPL season, was looking forward to making a short comeback at the Gabba alongside Hayden, Gilchrist and McGrath.

“It's a great concept and it should be a good game,” he said.