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We had ICC ODI World Cup in 2015. We will have ICC World T20 next month. But what about the real thing – a Test match World Cup?
Here’s an original idea for the ICC to consider.
As Test cricket is played between ten countries, it is difficult to organise a Test World Cup. There are just too many teams playing each other for five days for there to be a tournament.
So how about five continents to play each other for a Test World Cup? Each match should be of four days duration with at least 100 overs a day.
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Here is my idea of a Continental Test World Cup. The team name appears first, with the countries that make up that team in brackets.
Australia (Australia and New Zealand), Europe (United Kingdom), Africa (South Africa, and Zimbabwe), Asia (India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh) and America (West Indies).
I realise that an ICC Intercontinental Cup is going on now from May 2015 and will conclude this June.
But it is between affiliated and non-Test playing nations like Netherlands, Ireland, Scotland, Canada, Kenya, Afghanistan, Hong Kong, United Arab Emirates, Kenya, Namibia and Papua New Guinea.
My idea is to have Test playing nations to play for their continents for the Test World Cup to be held every four years.
Team selection would be horrendously difficult – especially for Asia.
It is unrealistic to organise it soon as countries’ normal Test schedules are planned in advance.
But let us fantasise and select squads for each continent for an imaginary Test World Cup to be played in different continents in 2016-17.
The criteria would be based solely on Test statistics of the players in the year 2015.
Each continent will have two openers, four middle order batsmen (which may include a genuine all-rounder), a wicket-keeper who can bat and four bowlers (a mix of fast, fast-medium and spin). Those who retired before 2016, for example Chris Rogers, will not be considered.
Below is my team for Australia, in batting order with their 2015 stats in brackets.
1. David Warner (1317 runs at 54.87, 4 centuries)
2. Joe Burns (555 at 50.45, 2 centuries)
3. Usman Khawaja (504 at 126.00, 3 centuries)
4. Steve Smith (1474 at 73.70, 6 centuries)
5. Kane Williamson (1172 at 90.15, 5 centuries)
6. Adam Voges (1028 at 85.66, 4 centuries)
7. Bradley-John Watling (536 at 48.72, 2 centuries, 32 catches and 3 stumpings)
8. Josh Hazlewood (51 wickets at 23.35, two 5w/i*)
9. Trent Boult (36 wickets at 31.47, two 5w/i)
10. Mitchell Starc (46 wickets at 25.06, two 5w/i) and
11. Nathan Lyon (48 wickets at 28.72, no 5w/i).
12th man: Ross Taylor (636 runs at 42.40 with one century, 290, the top score in 2015, nine catches).
Names of New Zealand cricketers are in italics.
*5w/i means taking five wickets per innings.
Thus there are six batsmen, a wicket-keeper who can bat (Watling) and four bowlers, with three quickies and one spinner.
Come on Roarers, select your team for the Australia-New Zealand continent! This does not need to be on stats alone!
Teams for Europe, Africa, Asia and America continents will be selected in Part 2, based on 2015 Test statistics.