The never-ending conversation about a Test championship and a two-tiered system has been going on for many years.
The ICC have sat on their hands and not acted on what potentially could be a great thing for Test cricket.
As of January 2019, there are 12 Test match-playing nations. If we split these up, immediately we can see how a two-tiered system could operate.
The top six teams of India, South Africa. England, Australia, Pakistan and New Zealand would operate in one group. That would leave Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Ireland, Zimbabwe and the West Indies in the other.
How it could work is over a two and a half year period, everyone in tier one played each other home-and-away. The Test series results simply could be four points for an away series win, three points for a home series win, two points for an away series draw, one point for a home series draw and zero for a loss.
After the 30 months of home-and-away Tests, the top two teams have a playoff, with the top team getting home advantage. The winner is crowned Test champions.
The pressure would be to remain in the top tier. If you finished sixth, you would drop to the lower division, and the top team from Division 2 would come up and play in the more prestigious group.
The bottom group would still all have Test status matches and play a similar home-and-away format as the top group. If the bottom group were first-class matches only, the interest would dwindle, and their fans deserve better than that, with the money and prestige with the top six teams.
The incentive to get there would be great.
No matter what the ICC do, if they do anything in the future, there will be positives and negatives. A negative may be missing out on Sri Lanka defeating South Africa as they did in 2018. Or England going to Still Lanka and winning for the first time in 17 years. But the positives could outweigh the negatives.
If India had ten series spread over two years and a half years against South Africa, England, New Zealand, Australia and their old foe Pakistan (played in England on neutral territory for both) home-and-away, with an aim to finish top two to play in a three-Test match final, it would be thrilling Test cricket.
Also, it would help remove the ‘improve your averages Test’ cricket. Let’s not forget Adam Voges averages 542.00 against the West Indies. Without wanting to be disrespectful to Voges, it’s hardly what you would consider a test of a cricketer.
The aim of cricket administrators should be to make sure all cricket remains competitive and meaningful. The decline of interest in one day cricket has been the result of matches and tournaments that have meant little to players and fans.
Virat Kohli has almost single-handedly kept that format alive and has done a far better job of keeping a dying format relevant than the administrators have.
Similarly, the introduction of day-night Test cricket and pink balls have been done to keep Test cricket relevant and important throughout the cricketing world. However the sport must always look to improve and get better, and a championship to find the most consistent and best-playing nation over a couple of years can help do that.
A Test championship has been spoken about for some time. It’s time it happened.
Birdie Num Num
Guest
A second tier system exists perfectly well. It is called the Intercontinental Cup, a four day red ball championship for top six or so associate nations. This is where Afghanistan and Ireland came from. They won it and dominated for a good period of time. I would like to see Zimbabwe removed to associate status and Scotland and Nepal moved up to the second tier to join Afghanistan and Ireland. Maybe even a Canada is they have a decent development pipeline and not just expat Asians playing a bit.
Kopa Shamsu
Guest
"Second tier system " No thanks.
Harvey Wilson
Roar Rookie
I am already turning grey waiting for that LOL
Lt Col Wilhelm Klink (Iron Cross)
Guest
Already exists. Rhodesia, Ireland and Afghanistan make up division 2. The rest play from June this year. We will see how it goes.
Rellum
Roar Guru
What I would prefer is a 3 groups of 4 tournament over two years with everyone playing in the group play home and away in a 3 test series. Then the semi finals would be between the top of each group and the best runner up. The groups would be redrawn every two years and the top two seeds in each group would not be allowed to be drawn together again. Underneath that setup is where the ICC should invest. To me there should be a second teir comp made up of the next best 12 teams who could play in a similar setup to the top teir. Those games would be 4 day games and be given FC statis. The ICC would also have to invest in helping those nations set up FC comps. Then after 10 years and if the lower teir is running well then you could think of promotion/relegation. That is what I would prefer but the new system is better than nothing.
JamesH
Roar Guru
Can we wait til Australia is good again?
Paul
Roar Guru
Apart from the fact that the ICC is kicking off the World Championship next year, your article needs some clarifications; "How it could work is over a two and a half year period, everyone in tier one played each other home-and-away". My maths says that's 10 home and away series for each Test playing nation. So sides like England and Australia, who play 5 Test Ashes series have to fit in two Test series per summer. Given ALL the other cricket played in both our summers, that's a mighty big ask. Why are series wins rated the same when "series" can be anything from 2 - 5 Tests? England goes to India and loses a 3 match series 2-1, with the result in the last Test being a victory to India by one run, yet England get's no points for their efforts and India gets 3. That hardly seem fair to England? Why is a 1-0 series win worth the same points as a 5 - nil series win? Why would there be a play off for world champion when all sides had gone through a process of playing each other, both home and away? If you're going to have a Test Championship, the rules around things like DRS, pink ball Tests, etc need to be standardized. Finally, your example of Adam Voges was probably not needed on the context of the article. It ignores the fact this guy is good enough to be chosen for his country and has the skill, concentration and temperament to make enough runs to earn this average at Test level. Surely it's not up to us to judge the merits of his efforts, but we should leave that to his peers.
Rellum
Roar Guru
I saw the headline and assumed this article was going to explore the new Test championship starting up this year, alas no. Has DaveJ pointed out, there is one starting up this year.
Timmuh
Roar Guru
The system that is being put in place is bad enough, making teams 10-12 virtually redundant as Test nations and ensuring the poorest teams get no chance to improve on or off field; but splitting into two divisions is a horrible concept. Test cricket must be the pinnacle, all Test cricket.
Tim Carter
Roar Pro
And the reasons for the 9-3 setup are numerous. India refuse to play Pakistan. Zimbabwe already cannot afford to host multiple tests. The bottom six would go broke. Not ideal, but pragmatic.
John
Guest
Great article i like the idea of promotion and relegation between 2 divisions.
DaveJ
Roar Rookie
As I understand, the ICC has in fact decided to start a Test championship after the World Cup. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ICC_World_Test_Championship