Finally, some common sense. Finally, a feeling that cricket is going on a path that doesn’t lead straight to the coffers of the BCCI.
With the International Cricket Council (ICC) not far away from their annual conference, members are preparing to discuss three new proposals which could shake up the way cricket is played and watched.
One of those proposals is an idea to change the way the sport is sold to TV networks. It’s long and confusing, but in short it aims to give cricket boards more income from the sale of their international broadcast rights by bundling together multiple series and then selling them to TV stations.
A more thorough description can be found here, but given the dire financial position of many cricket boards, it’s a fine idea.
Far more important, though, are the mooted changes to ODIs and Tests.
For Tests, ICC chief executive David Richardson is looking to expand the format to include more teams and split them into two divisions, with the Test champions decided over the course of a two-year cycle.
The result would surely be greater attention focused on the lower-performing Test teams, as countries like Bangladesh, Zimbabwe and the West Indies strive to avoid relegation while the up-and-comers (such as Afghanistan and Ireland) seek to join the big leagues.
As for ODIs, the proposal on the table is to create a 13-team championship, where every team plays a three-game series against everyone else over the course of three years. The two best teams at the end of the cycle would meet for a three or five-game finals series, while the worst-performing sides would face relegation. Every fourth year would be reserved for World Cups.
The ideas, in short, are excellent. They give smaller nations extra chances to play meaningful fixtures and showcase their talent. More importantly, they add purpose to the multitude of bilateral one-day and Test series, the frequency of which has rendered them nearly meaningless.
Take a look at every major sport around the world. Whether it’s football and the English Premier League, basketball’s NBA or union’s Super Rugby, people follow them with a mad fervour when there is lasting, meaningful competition.
With the exception of a few marquee fixtures which punctuate the monotony, cricket has turned into a constant stream of series which don’t have any significance outside the two participating countries. It’s comparable to Leicester City only playing friendlies or the Cleveland Cavaliers just turning out for exhibition games.
Having a couple of long-lasting championships would give fans a reason to turn out in droves for previously poorly attended matches. How much more of a crowd, I wonder, would have got out to see Australia take on the West Indies earlier this year if a world championship was on the line?
Plus, we get to see more of Mohammad Shazad.
In any case, it’s not worth celebrating the proposals just yet because they currently remain just that: proposals. The idea of a Test championship has already fallen flat on its face once before despite being officially launched.
But if the proposals pass and the Test and ODI championships are set to become a reality – they’re said to be on the table for as early as 2019 – then cricket will be on its way to becoming a sport with more fans, more teams and, above all, more relevance.
Let’s just hope these proposals do become a reality.
Tanmoy Kar
Guest
In addition to two divisions of Test cricket & 13 Teams ODI contests, pink-balls Day-Night Test matches can be made compulsory ( at least one Day-Night Test in each 3/4/5 Test match series). Even 13/14 ODI Teams may be separated in 2 Divisions for better contest.
gavjoshi
Guest
The broadcasters will play an important role in the decision. If West Indies is playing Bangladesh as a tier two division match, the broadcasters might not even televise it. New contracts will need to be drawn up. Currently, the ICC and the local boards have contracts with broadcasters that they will televise it. All that will need to be re-drawn, that is big challenge.
Daniel Jeffrey
Editor
Getting rid of N Srinivasan was a step in the right direction last year. It looks like they've continued on the right path from there.
Anindya Dutta
Roar Guru
It's indeed exciting and something test Cricket has needed to help it survive. I wrote a piece on this a few weeks ago before Richardson had announced this idea and we had a lively debate here. That debate brought out many of the points that we also see in the ICC plan. The Davis Cup comparison is interesting indeed. I think the Football league comparisons are less interesting because applying a club championship type approach to national teams does not contend with national pride and egos. There is a mention above whether India would agree to relegation. I can ask the same question about Australia and England, the other two cash cows of world Cricket. If everyone agrees to the promotion and relegation then they have to agree to being demoted. Let's wait for the ICC meeting. The proof of the pudding is indeed in the eating!
Paul Nicholls
Roar Guru
It sounds like a good idea - here's hoping!
brian drian
Guest
That all sounds great but will India allow itself to be relegated should it come to it? It is hard to imagine them falling out of the top seven but hasn't that been an issue in the past?
Rellum
Roar Guru
I am not particularly confident any of this will happen. I still would want to see details to be sure it would even be a good thing.
BurgyGreen
Guest
It's been shocking seeing such a desire for real action coming from the ICC recently. Hopefully all this comes to fruition - has cricket administration turned a corner?
Sideline Comm.
Guest
I'm with you guys. Hopeful that they pass; anxious about the application.
Craig Swanson
Guest
This proposed new era of cricket gladdens this purist's heart. We all hoped for a long time that cricket would become a truly global sport. This to me is the first step towards that coming to fruition. Finally the ICC is waking up instead of nodding off at the wheel. Hats off to Dave Richardson the architect and the mouthpiece for this earth changing reform to our great game.
Daniel Jeffrey
Editor
Interesting comparison there - hadn't thought of the Davis Cup parallels. Just another reason to hope the proposals become reality.
Daniel Jeffrey
Editor
Interesting point r.e. the timing of the schedules Brian. The ODI cycle is obviously designed to complement the World Cup and make sure that doesn't lose any relevance, while I'd imagine the two-year Test championship has been floated so we still see marquee series like the Ashes and Aus v India every couple of seasons. It also means we'll have a bumper season every six years when both finals align. I don't mind the scheduling.
Carl Spackler
Guest
This should open up cricket, like Davis Cup did with tennis. If you all recall, Davis Cup started with just USA and Britain, now look at it. It will cut lose the bludging nations like your West Indies and Zimbabwe and allow hard working nations such as Ireland in.
Paul D
Roar Guru
It does appear as though the penny has finally dropped for the bods at the ICC, they can see the long term trend is declining interest and participation in cricket. This is a good step towards turning this around. I think even the BCCI has finally twigged given the rather underwhelming turnout for the IPL this year. Giving international cricket context is the must-do for them over the next 5 years. Every series has to mean something, right now it’s utterly irrelevant. Even losing the ashes to England, in England, was shrugged off.
Bearfax
Guest
Look I hope this comes to fruition, especially in respect of test cricket. I have long held the belief that in sports you expand or you degenerate and possibly disappear in the long run. Ensuring that top teams play the minions may be at times unattractive in the short term, but its how those teams get the experience, finances and knowledge concerning what is needed to compete against the best. In the short term there will be grumbles but in the long term win/win for all. And in test cricket innovations such as day/night sessions and maybe even limited innings overs to attract the crowds should be encouraged everywhere. I like the package idea as well and that there is a greater share of monies to smaller teams that need the backing to get the right training they need. But will the heavies such as India agree. I think cricket nations need to be firm in this resolve. I live in hope.
Brian
Guest
Finally. Since they don't want to let go of ODI then the 13 team league is the best idea. One curious item seems to be that the Tests will be decided over 2 years and the ODI over 3 years. I would have thought alignment made more sense to see for example if a group of players can do the "double". Mind you I'll take anything meaningful at this point.
Daniel Jeffrey
Editor
Completely agree Scott. Let's just hope they pass. Even then, there'll be a bit of a nervous wait until 2019 to see if they actually take off.
Daniel Jeffrey
Editor
I believe the favoured test model at the moment revolves around 12 teams, seven in the top division and five in the second. Hopefully that model would give the second division sides more fixtures, giving them a chance to improve more and more.
Daniel Jeffrey
Editor
All valid concerns there, and we won't really know whether they'll come to pass for a while yet. Hopefully the championships instigate more games the lower-ranked nations. The odi proposal is based around teams playing 12 games a year. If Scotland and the like can get themselves into that, it'd be a great boost in their number of fixtures.
Scott Pryde
Expert
My first reaction when I heard this yesterday was 'Finally'. Really hope these ideas come to fruition - will really being some meaningful competition back and stop ODI from fading off the map so fast I feel.