Should test cricket be limited to 5 teams?

India, Australia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, England. They're the only 5 decent test teams going at the moment. The rest are quite simply in a class below.

Pakistan- No one even knows how good their test team is, considering they haven't played the longest form of the game for a year. Last seen, they were pretty average, and now they've lost their best batsman in the meantime.

West Indies- Sad tale. They still show no signs of improvement, Their one world class player probably has just 2 years left in him, and it's depressing to see the odd JAMODI and T20 win that they pull off here and there declared "A new dawn". Things could get even worse in the next 12-18 months. The problem is that thanks to a Texan billionaire, their best players are now stinking rich, so will there be as much motivation to improve now?

New Zealand- We've seen against Aus just how pathetic they have become. Yeah, they were never great, but they always used to put up a good fight. Now they can't even do that. Their bowling attack is ok, but the batting is truly woeful- Probably the worst NZ batting lineup for 40 years. At least in years gone by they've always had one world class batsman (Crowe, Fleming) but these days they have none. Taylor and McCullum are the best they have, and they're averaging in the low 30's.

Bangladesh- Not much needs to be said. The results speak for themselves. They're something of an enigma, as their under 19's teams have been one of the best in the world for about 5 years now. For whatever reason, their players just aren't able to produce that talent at test level. 8 years ago, we were told that a country with a cricket mad population of 140 million people MUST improve. Well, in 2008 they're no better than when they started, so something's not right.


Maybe a promotion/relegation tier system should be considered. I know it's an idea that has been suggested for a while now, but seeing New Zealand and Bangladesh being so comprehensively thrashed recently in front of very small crowds has convinced me that it's a good idea, whereas before I was a bit sceptical- One team promoted, and one team relegated every year, with the ICC providing increased funding and specialist coaching programs to the teams in the second tier.

Tier one-

India
Australia
South Africa
Sri Lanka
England

Tier two-

Pakistan
West Indies
New Zealand
Bangladesh


Thoughts?

Fair idea.
Just replace England with Pakistan and i will be happy.

Erm, didn't I suggest this same idea 12+ months ago

Invader Zim wrote:Erm, didn't I suggest this same idea 12+ months ago

And we're supposed to remember that are we?

PAK will NOT play test cricket for almost 19 months...thats amazing

it is not good for teams like NZ to get flogged...nor for Oz as we end up with inflated views of some of our players

horace wrote:it is not good for teams like NZ to get flogged...nor for Oz as we end up with inflated views of some of our players

I think the Channel Nine commentators are responsible for that. Their entire commentary has become one big Aussie wank fest.

Henry wrote:

horace wrote:it is not good for teams like NZ to get flogged...nor for Oz as we end up with inflated views of some of our players

I think the Channel Nine commentators are responsible for that. Their entire commentary has become always been one big Aussie wank fest.

Fixed

woops my error...shd never have used the worded 'inflated' around henny

My scheme was similar but involved a top 7.

Basically we create a new category of first class cricket, which I will call ‘Major League’.

Test cricket will be reserved for the 7 best teams, with the Major League being made up of the next best 7. The ICC Intercontinental Cup will be the feeder to the Major League.

At the end of a 3-year cycle (each team has to have played the other teams home and away, min 3 Test series for Test teams, 1 four day game for ML), a relegation/promotion series is played between the highest ranked ML team and the lowest ranked Test team. This series will be granted Test status and be held at the ML’s venue of choice. The Test team will need to win the series to avoid relegation.

The ICC Intercontinental Cup is scheduled to coincide with the end of the 3-year cycle, with the winner meeting the lowest ranked ML team in a relegation/promotion series at the ICCICC’s venue of choice.

So ATM:

Test Status - Australia, South Africa, India, England, New Zealand, Pakistan, Sri Lanka.
Major League Status (First Class) - West Indies, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, 4 finalists from the ICCICC.
ICC Inter Continental Cup (12 Teams, First Class Status)

I Zim,

WI> NZ now

PlanetPakistan wrote:WI> NZ now

Perhaps, but the make up doesn't really matter.

the play off would certainly generate interest

The only Test series that the Windies are defending are the Zimmers and Bangers from memory...the Kiwis are defending India (?!), Sri Lanka, and the Windies (plus Bangers and Zimmers of course)...

But there is a huge gap again between the likes of NZ and the Windies and teams like Ireland, Kenya etc.....The top ranked second tier team would beat the rest all the time. At least if there was 2/3 major nations in the lower tier, there would be a bit more competition and unpredictabilty about who will be promoted. It would also mean that the Windies/NZ boards don't face complete financial ruin, as what Windies/NZ supporter would want to come to the ground/tune in to watch their team take on the 'might' of Kenya?

it will be interesting to see how the oscillating teams like PAK do because IIRC at the end of 2003 they were # 3 then they dropped down to # 7 in 05 then went up to # 2 and now back to # 6 again.

[shrugs] You can't make an omelette without breaking a few eggs.

Time the shake up the complacent club that is the teams with Test status. This system basically strips permanent status from every team. In theory any team could be relegated (and any team could therefore, gain promotion).

5 teams? Good, just kick all the subis out.

Kick subi out...

tac wrote:5 teams? Good, just kick all the subis out.

I've campaigned for that ever since the drawn forfeited match at the Oval 2 years ago ....

Remember ... An SL adjucator was "specially flown in" to oversee matters; the BCCI intervention on behalf of their PCB allies and finally, the PCB chairman directing a public "racist" charge against an ICC official - all combining to bring pressure to bear on an impotent ICC which forced them to illegally declare the forfeited match a "draw" almost 18 months later!!

Sod the BCCI's cash cow and leave them to their T20 Barnum n Bailey circuses.
IMHO the Game of Cricket would be much healthier and a more pleasureable sport to watch and attend without the politics, the constant pressure and the bullshit that the sub continent Boards (specifically the BCCI, and, via their un-subtle cash-induced coercion, the PCB and SLCB) bring to the table.

If that sounds Imperialistic - then tough tits.
So be it -

aww, the little englander is feeling 'dirty'. a gin and tonic should perk you up

The One wrote:aww, the little englander is feeling 'dirty'. a gin and tonic should perk you up

Errr ... not so little .. but yes, a GnT at lunchtime in an hour or so ought to do the trick!

But yeah, an anticipated response from a BCCI clone whose attention span is excited by the advent of non-stop T20 hit n giggle, and the recently swollen purse and uncompromising stance of a myopic Cricket Board!

The one issue I have with this tier separation idea is that I don't think the teams in tier two will really benefit much by playing each other often. How is a team supposed to improve by playing against other sub-standard teams?

Promotion / relegation is an interesting idea but then you have the problem of logisitics and the prospect of cricket fans being starved of some potentially interesting clashes. What if England end up in tier two, what then of the Ashes?

Also, one of the beauties of the game is that certain sides struggle in certain countries. For example, watching asian teams play in the West Indies has always been interesting, because no matter how bad the Windies are, asian teams have always struggled to defeat them in the Windies.

And the only reason Pakistan are in tier two is because they haven't played for ages, unfair IMO.

Bit pointless just 5 teams.

They should do what I proposed a few weeks back.

Make NZ & WI the weaker sides in world cricket by jettisoning BAN & ZIM from test cricket.

Not sure who the f*ck can think they can quantify what'll happen to these teams in a couple of years. IIRC, NZ were vying for 2nd place after drawing with Aus in 2004, they certainly came over here to see who was the 3rd best in the world. Pak are mercurial but have spates of calibre. The Windies have been in a malaise for quite a while but they look better than they did two years ago so again it's hard to tell.

Stupid idea.