Two tier test championship

[miked]

A report by the Melbourne Age, said International Cricket Council (ICC)
chair Jay Shah is set to meet his Cricket Australia counterpart Mike
Baird and England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) boss Richard Thompson
later this month, with sources saying proposals for two tiers of the
World Test Championship will be discussed.

The plans could see India, Australia, England, South Africa, Pakistan,
Sri Lanka and New Zealand in tier one, with West Indies, Bangladesh,
Afghanistan, Ireland and Zimbabwe making up the second tier.

It would be introduced after the current Future Tours Programme ends in
2027.

Former England captain Michael Vaughan posted on X, external saying it
"has to happen" while former India head coach Ravi Shastri told SEN
Radio "the best playing the best is needed for Test cricket to survive".

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/articles/cql5q4rg326o

This would be the death knell of test cricket for those not in the top
tier. I think oz england and india play each other far too often
already. Its clearly a money orientated move, so they can demand more
money from broadcasters.

mike

[David North]

Post by miked
A report by the Melbourne Age, said International Cricket Council (ICC)
chair Jay Shah is set to meet his Cricket Australia counterpart Mike
Baird and England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) boss Richard Thompson
later this month, with sources saying proposals for two tiers of the
World Test Championship will be discussed.

It's the "big three" conspiring again.

Post by miked
The plans could see India, Australia, England, South Africa, Pakistan,
Sri Lanka and New Zealand in tier one, with West Indies, Bangladesh,
Afghanistan, Ireland and Zimbabwe making up the second tier.

Note that Pakistan are currently below Bangladesh in the WTC table, and
need to win both of the forthcoming Tests v WI in Multan to finish above
them (Bangladesh, that is). Are they proposing to base the tiers on
results or money?

Also note that India and Pakistan don't play each other, so those two
would only have five other teams to play within the WTC. What are they
proposing to do about that?

Post by miked
It would be introduced after the current Future Tours Programme ends in
2027.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan posted on X, external saying it
"has to happen" while former India head coach Ravi Shastri told SEN
Radio "the best playing the best is needed for Test cricket to survive".
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/articles/cql5q4rg326o
This would be the death knell of test cricket for those not in the top
tier.

We already have two-tier Test cricket, of course, with Afghanistan,
Ireland and Zimbabwe not currently included in the WTC, and getting very
few Tests, especially against teams who are in the WTC.

I'm glad that England are finally playing Zimbabwe again in May after 22
years, even if it is only one Test. The last time they played them, Alec
Stewart was in the team, and he'll be 62 by May.

The proposal would see those three play many more Tests, but it would
clearly be very bad for the teams that drop out of the top tier.

Post by miked
I think oz england and india play each other far too often
already.

As I pointed out previously, those three playing 5-Test series against
each other aleady resulted in those matches accounting for over half of
India and Australia's Tests in the current cycle, and nearly half of
England's, so we certainly don't need any more.

[David North]

Post by David North

Post by miked
A report by the Melbourne Age, said International Cricket Council (ICC)
chair Jay Shah is set to meet his Cricket Australia counterpart Mike
Baird and England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) boss Richard Thompson
later this month, with sources saying proposals for two tiers of the
World Test Championship will be discussed.

It's the "big three" conspiring again.

Post by miked
The plans could see India, Australia, England, South Africa, Pakistan,
Sri Lanka and New Zealand in tier one, with West Indies, Bangladesh,
Afghanistan, Ireland and Zimbabwe making up the second tier.

Note that Pakistan are currently below Bangladesh in the WTC table, and
need to win both of the forthcoming Tests v WI in Multan to finish above
them (Bangladesh, that is). Are they proposing to base the tiers on
results or money?
Also note that India and Pakistan don't play each other, so those two
would only have five other teams to play within the WTC. What are they
proposing to do about that?

Post by miked
It would be introduced after the current Future Tours Programme ends in
2027.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan posted on X, external saying it
"has to happen" while former India head coach Ravi Shastri told SEN
Radio "the best playing the best is needed for Test cricket to survive".
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/articles/cql5q4rg326o
This would be the death knell of test cricket for those not in the top
tier.

We already have two-tier Test cricket, of course, with Afghanistan,
Ireland and Zimbabwe not currently included in the WTC, and getting very
few Tests, especially against teams who are in the WTC.
I'm glad that England are finally playing Zimbabwe again in May after 22
years, even if it is only one Test. The last time they played them, Alec
Stewart was in the team, and he'll be 62 by May.
The proposal would see those three play many more Tests, but it would
clearly be very bad for the teams that drop out of the top tier.

Post by miked
I think oz england and india play each other far too often
already.

As I pointed out previously, those three playing 5-Test series against
each other aleady resulted in those matches accounting for over half of
India and Australia's Tests in the current cycle, and nearly half of
England's, so we certainly don't need any more.

Since the start of 2020, Australia, India, New Zealand and England have
all played between 84% and 91% of their Tests against teams in the
proposed top tier anyway, so it wouldn't make much difference to them.
The figures for the other proposed top-tier teams are: Pakistan 75%,
South Africa 72%, and Sri Lanka 58%, so it would make more difference to
them.

In that period, West Indies have played 78% of their Tests against teams
in the proposed top tier, and Bangladesh 70%, so they would obviously be
drastically affected.

The figures for the teams currently outside the WTC are: Ireland 50%,
Zimbabwe 31%, Afghanistan 14%. Those three have played 8 Tests against
proposed top-tier teams between them in the 2020s, of which 5 were
against Sri Lanka (so "well done" to Sri Lanka for that, and also to
Bangladesh, who have also played all three of them).

[David North]

Post by David North

Post by David North

Post by miked
A report by the Melbourne Age, said International Cricket Council (ICC)
chair Jay Shah is set to meet his Cricket Australia counterpart Mike
Baird and England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) boss Richard Thompson
later this month, with sources saying proposals for two tiers of the
World Test Championship will be discussed.

It's the "big three" conspiring again.

Post by miked
The plans could see India, Australia, England, South Africa, Pakistan,
Sri Lanka and New Zealand in tier one, with West Indies, Bangladesh,
Afghanistan, Ireland and Zimbabwe making up the second tier.

Note that Pakistan are currently below Bangladesh in the WTC table,
and need to win both of the forthcoming Tests v WI in Multan to finish
above them (Bangladesh, that is). Are they proposing to base the tiers
on results or money?
Also note that India and Pakistan don't play each other, so those two
would only have five other teams to play within the WTC. What are they
proposing to do about that?

Post by miked
It would be introduced after the current Future Tours Programme ends in
2027.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan posted on X, external saying it
"has to happen" while former India head coach Ravi Shastri told SEN
Radio "the best playing the best is needed for Test cricket to survive".
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/articles/cql5q4rg326o
This would be the death knell of test cricket for those not in the top
tier.

We already have two-tier Test cricket, of course, with Afghanistan,
Ireland and Zimbabwe not currently included in the WTC, and getting
very few Tests, especially against teams who are in the WTC.
I'm glad that England are finally playing Zimbabwe again in May after
22 years, even if it is only one Test. The last time they played them,
Alec Stewart was in the team, and he'll be 62 by May.
The proposal would see those three play many more Tests, but it would
clearly be very bad for the teams that drop out of the top tier.

Post by miked
I think oz england and india play each other far too often
already.

As I pointed out previously, those three playing 5-Test series against
each other aleady resulted in those matches accounting for over half
of India and Australia's Tests in the current cycle, and nearly half
of England's, so we certainly don't need any more.

Since the start of 2020, Australia, India, New Zealand and England have
all played between 84% and 91% of their Tests against teams in the
proposed top tier anyway, so it wouldn't make much difference to them.

... although I doubt that the supporters who would no longer get to go
to Tests in the West Indies would be very happy about it!