Should we run test series with minnows differently ?

[Richard]

What a pleasent view of the British Isles you have...

And a simplistic one too. There is some rivalry between ROI and (for instance) England, but amongst the sensible types it's no more than between Lancastrians and Yorkshiremen. The days of sectarian violence and The IRA are, mercifully, for the most part behind us and even in such days there were still countless millions from both places who held no stupid prejudicial beliefs.

There has never been enough of a divide between ROI and England for sporting joining of forces to be OOTQ.

 

[Lillian Thomson]

yeah, i think ahead of myself sometimes, and then it doesn't make sense. Also political identity is kind of an issue cause irish people(not from norther ireland) doesn't like the british so much or al teast as far as i know of.

 

[zaremba]

yeah, i think ahead of myself sometimes, and then it doesn't make sense. Also political identity is kind of an issue cause irish people(not from norther ireland) doesn't like the british so much or al teast as far as i know of.

You should stop thinking ahead of yourself and your thoughts might then al teast make some sense.

 

[morgieb]

Zimbabwe were ready for Test Cricket, but not Bangladesh. It seemed like they were let in too early, IMO.

 

[andruid]

you can't take it out on the players for things the government is doing.

True, but the ZCB have to be punishd for their mismanagement. Its a stain on the ICC that cannot be allowed to last.

The players that are playing aren't good enough though. It's pretty simple, even if you ignore the politics.

On the contrary I think Zimbabwe'd current crop of players have more in them than Bangladesh's and would have probably matued into test class but for the ZCB's bonkers management an the general despair in Zimbabwe

What teams are you talking about exactly? If you're talking about bangladesh and zimbabwe than no taking their test status doesn't help(well may be for zimbabwe it doesn't even matter). Bangladesh can't improve without having test status because they wouldn't make money otherwise. For the other associates, as i stated they play in the intercontinental cup and when a teams keep winning that they'll be looked at for test status. But mind that there is much more to getting Test status than playing standards.

True, the Intercontinental Cup is there but it needs more attention and nurturing for it to become reach the sort of standard ad generate the kind of revenue that can push its participants across that gap into proper cricketing nations. Right now issues like non-availability of top players is killing the point of the Intercontinental Cup being a test of how good its participants really are at FC cricket.

Then there is also the Issue of Domestic structures. On top of an international comnpetition the ICC ought to look at helping those countres that are serious about multi-innings cricket in the future develop a roadmap to making this part of their local cricketing culture through domestic competition so we do not run the risk of a brand new test nation with which less than 40 players have any kind of FC experience.

On the whole I would vouch for the ICC to incorporate the Intercontinental Cup as a lower division of a Davis Cup style test championship with promotion and relegation every few seasons or so. Nonetheless in order to make Test cricket/status work like this without seriously damaging the cricket in new and vulnerable test teams like Bangladesh then the ICC really should consider the idea of separating test status on the field from full membership in the ICC, so that good teams do not end up being hed up by semi-competent cricketing boards and hard working cricketing boards do not get held up by poor playing XIs.

 

[Chemosit]

It would be a really small step comparitively to introduce a relegation/promotion system between the two tiers that are currently Test and IC.

I would like to see the top flight restricted to 10 teams and the second flight made up of a similar number. Thus (if we make the HUGE assumption that the recent deal in Zimbabwe eventually leads to peace and their cricketers to be allowed to get on with it) current leagues would be:

Div 1: Stats counted as Test Status. Matches 5 days long
Australia
South Africa
India
England
Sri Lanka
Pakistan
New Zealand
West Indies
Bangladesh
Zimbabwe
(order as per current Test Championship)

Div 2: Stats count as First Class Status. Matches 4 days long to lengthen to 5 after 1 cycle:
Namibia
Scotland
Ireland
Kenya
Netherlands
UAE
Bermuda
Canada
(order as per current IC standings - will no doubt change as matches are completed)

Two new countries should be added to this through a qualifying comp, say for the sake of argument at the moment, Uganda and Denmark.

I would further like to see the IC structure changed to include 3 match series between teams and run for a similar period as the FTP (yes I know about the $ issue...)

With the much needed restructuring of the FTP, it should be streamlined to conclude every 4 years at the end of which the top Div 2 team is hosted by the bottom Div 1 team for a right to Test status for the next cycle.

Hardly likely to happen, but one can dream...

 

[Furball]

It would be a really small step comparitively to introduce a relegation/promotion system between the two tiers that are currently Test and IC.

I would like to see the top flight restricted to 10 teams and the second flight made up of a similar number. Thus (if we make the HUGE assumption that the recent deal in Zimbabwe eventually leads to peace and their cricketers to be allowed to get on with it) current leagues would be:

Div 1: Stats counted as Test Status. Matches 5 days long
Australia
South Africa
India
England
Sri Lanka
Pakistan
New Zealand
West Indies
Bangladesh
Zimbabwe
(order as per current Test Championship)

Div 2: Stats count as First Class Status. Matches 4 days long to lengthen to 5 after 1 cycle:
Namibia
Scotland
Ireland
Kenya
Netherlands
UAE
Bermuda
Canada
(order as per current IC standings - will no doubt change as matches are completed)

Two new countries should be added to this through a qualifying comp, say for the sake of argument at the moment, Uganda and Denmark.

I would further like to see the IC structure changed to include 3 match series between teams and run for a similar period as the FTP (yes I know about the $ issue...)

With the much needed restructuring of the FTP, it should be streamlined to conclude every 4 years at the end of which the top Div 2 team is hosted by the bottom Div 1 team for a right to Test status for the next cycle.

Hardly likely to happen, but one can dream...

10 teams would be far too many for your division 2, and it would be as skewed, if not more so, than division 1.

 

[Chemosit]

Not really at the rate in which some of the third string teams are improving.

Take Namibia as an example - not part of the original 6 that got ODI status but currently topping the IC table. Uganda are not going to be far behind and then there are Nepal and Afghanistan rising quickly in Asia as well.

The exact number of teams is something open to the debate - it is more the format that I would like to see. For example, a possibility would be to make it 8 & 8 for the first cycle and then gradually bring in teams at the bottom.

 

[Prince EWS]

On the contrary I think Zimbabwe'd current crop of players have more in them than Bangladesh's and would have probably matued into test class but for the ZCB's bonkers management an the general despair in Zimbabwe

I recently wrote an article about their batting improvements so I'd be inclined to agree, however the ZCB's bonkers management and general despair in Zimbabwe does exist. There is lots of talent there, particularly in the batting, but it's not going to be developed. Regardless of whether or not a political stand should be taken, they do not have a Test standard team nor will they any time soon.

The sad reality is the fact that any players that do emerge from the rough that look Test standard will be snapped up by counties or even South African provinces for infinitely more money than what ZC could offer them in much more stable working conditions.