Andre
24 Feb 2006, 11:07
Illegal bowling actions now legal aside, there are two main problems in test cricket at the moment (in my opinion).
They are :
1) Teams of questionable strength playing.
2) The requirement to play every side over a period of time, with so many test nations now, makes for scheduling headaches.
Both problems could be solved by the creation of two divisions.
The first 'premier' division would consist of the top 8 test playing nations. Over a three year period each nation would be required to play the others home and away, for a minimum 3 test series. This may require a bit of heresay - dropping the Ashes and Windies tours back to a 3 or 4 test series to fit 7 home and away tours in, but I think it's worth it. The first division teams at present would be Australia, New Zealand, England, South Africa, Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan and the West Indies.
The second division would consist of other nations who think they will someday be worthy of making the first division - currently it would comprise the likes of Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, Canada etc. These teams would play off against each other over the same three year period.
You immediately remove the embarrasment that is Bangladesh and Zimbabwe from test cricket. Nations from the first division could still play tests against the second division if they want, BUT none would be official tests, with runs or wickets going into the record books.
To make it interesting and allow for second division teams to advance to the first division, after the three year period has elapsed the top second division team and the bottom first division team play back to back home and away 3 test series (first division team to decide whether play home or away first). The winner (if for some reason tied at 0 or 1 series win apiece and same number of test wins it counts as a win for first division team) will go into the first division and the loser the second division.
So given current rankings, in 3 years you could see the West Indies and Bangladesh play off for the final test nation position for the following 3 years.
A radical idea, but one worth looking at IMO.
They are :
1) Teams of questionable strength playing.
2) The requirement to play every side over a period of time, with so many test nations now, makes for scheduling headaches.
Both problems could be solved by the creation of two divisions.
The first 'premier' division would consist of the top 8 test playing nations. Over a three year period each nation would be required to play the others home and away, for a minimum 3 test series. This may require a bit of heresay - dropping the Ashes and Windies tours back to a 3 or 4 test series to fit 7 home and away tours in, but I think it's worth it. The first division teams at present would be Australia, New Zealand, England, South Africa, Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan and the West Indies.
The second division would consist of other nations who think they will someday be worthy of making the first division - currently it would comprise the likes of Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, Canada etc. These teams would play off against each other over the same three year period.
You immediately remove the embarrasment that is Bangladesh and Zimbabwe from test cricket. Nations from the first division could still play tests against the second division if they want, BUT none would be official tests, with runs or wickets going into the record books.
To make it interesting and allow for second division teams to advance to the first division, after the three year period has elapsed the top second division team and the bottom first division team play back to back home and away 3 test series (first division team to decide whether play home or away first). The winner (if for some reason tied at 0 or 1 series win apiece and same number of test wins it counts as a win for first division team) will go into the first division and the loser the second division.
So given current rankings, in 3 years you could see the West Indies and Bangladesh play off for the final test nation position for the following 3 years.
A radical idea, but one worth looking at IMO.