ICC seriously considers 2 divisions,7/5 split.

[watson]

I'm not a big fan of divisions. This 7/5 split would hardly improve the current scenario of Test cricket having no context apart from bilaterals in the 1st division and could make struggling boards even worse off if they are in the 2nd.

Instead I would like to see a proper scheduled Test championship over the span of 3-4 years where each Team plays a series of 3 Tests against each other - home and away. That might be impossible to schedule given cricket can only be played in certain months in each country.

So instead, why not split the current 10 Test teams into 2 groups of 5. The members in each group play each other in 3 match series home and away, and the top 2 from each group qualify for a play off championship.

The only problem is that after 3-4 years waiting the victor to emerge we've all fallen well and truly asleep.

Realistically the cycle can only be two years or less, and the only way of doing that is to arrange the teams into smaller groups.

The hope is that fighting to stay in the 'Big League', or fighting to enter the 'Big League' would evoke enough pride and enthusiasm in the team supporters.

Also it's hard to quantify what's better for supporters. For example, would a West Indian supporter rather watch a humiliating thrashing by Australia (last summer is a case in point), or a close entertaining series against Bangladesh where the victor gets promoted? IMO the latter has more marketing potential.

 

[TheJediBrah]

There's two divisions in County and it works fine stats wise.

I'm no expert on county cricket but I really doubt the difference in standard between div 1 & div 2 would be as much as the difference in standard of the 2 divisions of Test sides

 

[91Jmay]

I'm no expert on county cricket but I really doubt the difference in standard between div 1 & div 2 would be as much as the difference in standard of the 2 divisions of Test sides

Thing is, it doesn't really work fine stats wise. You've already got players who have great first class records who won't get picked until they prove it in division 1. The difference is already there in CC, and I agree would only be amplified in Test matches.

 

[marc71178]

Not a huge loss, is it?

Does cricket need a strong West Indies?

 

[watson]

Does cricket need a strong West Indies?

Well yes, because West Indies cricketers from George Headley and Frank Worrell, to Viv Richards and Curtly Ambrose form a large part of cricket's cultural heritage. Cricket would be a lot poorer without these great players, and it will be a lot poorer in the future without similar cricketers to continue the same cultural heritage. To codemn these players to dusty history books with no viable link to the present would be a shame.

 

[G.I.Joe]

But does cricket really need a strong West Indies?

 

[longranger]

I think a World Test Championship would be ideal, but for a lot of reasons (logistical, financial, etc) it doesn't seem likely to happen. What can happen is the ICC can help give context to bilateral Test series.

The proposed structure makes sense. 7 teams in league 1, so each team plays 6 others: 3 home, 3 away. I think if the ICC can regulate the type of pitches, it will be a fair battle to get the Test rankings.

It looks like the current top 7 will be AUS, IND, ENG, RSA, PAK, NZ and SL. If West Indies do drop to Division II, I think that will be the kick they need to improve their game and win promotion back on the first try. The current system does not punish them for non-performance. Once players get in a relegation dogfight, they'll learn to fight a bit and they'll hopefully put in better performances.

Summary - welcome changes. It's not ideal, but groundbreaking changes are not ICC's forte. It will make Tests very interesting if this can be implemented.

 

[Black_Warrior]

BCCI against two-tier Test system - Anurag Thakur | Cricket | ESPN Cricinfo

 

[mr_mister]

If it means 2 new test playing nations I'm all for it. Love watching minnows play though I agree it'l be weird to see their inflated stats from playing other crap teams.

Braithwaite and Bravo will end up averaging above 60 if they spend 3+ years playing tests against Zim, Ireland Netherlands or w/e

 

[Daemon]

Watching stuff like New Zealand vs Zimbabwe and now India vs WI is ridiculously boring, even for a non casual fan. I've been watching what I can of what's happening in the Caribbean but I won't lie, I'd rather watch them play T20s at this point.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Watching stuff like New Zealand vs Zimbabwe and now India vs WI is ridiculously boring, even for a non casual fan. I've been watching what I can of what's happening in the Caribbean but I won't lie, I'd rather watch them play T20s at this point.

There's every chance this would still happen in the 2nd tier tbh

 

[Daemon]

Just as I say that WI pull something out of their arses.

I think I mentioned that SL should be in a second tier right after they folded for 117 as well. The jinx is real.

 

[swede]

Because there is nothing at stake in a series with no context or rivalry. cricket should learn from other sports, particularly rugby which also only has a few countries at the top level but has a far better set up. India shouldnt play windies, just like england shouldnt play bangladesh

Rugby splits the world in two. How about cricket doing the same. Asia and the Rest. The asians could play two semifinals series with the winners contesting the Asian championship series. Thats context and rivalry. The asian champions could then play the best of the rest for the world championship.

If its all 3-match series then over just nine tests, they would play to qualify for and contest the championship of both asia and the world. Why is that not better than pointless travelling around playing randomn series.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Because there is nothing at stake in a series with no context or rivalry. cricket should learn from other sports, particularly rugby which also only has a few countries at the top level but has a far better set up. India shouldnt play windies, just like england shouldnt play bangladesh

Rugby splits the world in two. How about cricket doing the same. Asia and the Rest. The asians could play two semifinals series with the winners contesting the Asian championship series. Thats context and rivalry. The asian champions could then play the best of the rest for the world championship.

If its all 3-match series then over just nine tests, they would play to qualify for and contest the championship of both asia and the world. Why is that not better than pointless travelling around playing randomn series.

I can support this if it means Australia never have to tour Asia