Test championship & ODI league approved by International Cricket Council

Last updated on 13 October 2017.From the section Cricket253

England cricket — England won their recent two home Test series against South Africa and West Indies

Plans for a Test championship and one-day international league have been approved by the International Cricket Council.

Nine teams will play six series of Test matches over a two-year period - three at home and three away - culminating in a world Test championship final.

A 13-team ODI league, introduced from 2021, will now be used to qualify for the World Cup.

The ICC has also given the go-ahead for a trial of four-day Test matches.

"Throughout the discussions about the future of Test cricket it became clear that we must also consider alternatives and trial initiatives that may support the future viability of Test cricket," ICC chief executive David Richardson said.

How would the Test championship work?

The Test competition, which will begin after the World Cup in 2019, is designed to increase interest in the longer form of the game and avoid one-sided affairs.

There will be a minimum of two matches in each series - all of which will be scheduled to last five days - but can be expanded to five for series such as the Ashes.

The top two teams by April 2021 will then play in a championship final in England.

Zimbabwe, Afghanistan and Ireland would initially be excluded from the Test championship but the introduction of four-day series would give them more Test experience.

A Test league has been mooted for years, with Richardson saying in 2016 that a league would help "create a real champion Test team".

Day-night Tests have been introduced in an attempt to boost attendances.

And what about four-day Tests?

The trial for four-day Test matches will run up until the World Cup, which will be hosted by England.

South Africa recently requested to play a four-day Test against Zimbabwe in December, before their three Test series against India in January.

"Four-day Tests will also provide the new Test-playing countries with more opportunities to play the longer version of the game," Richardson continued.

"It will, in turn, help them to hone their skills and close the gap with the top-nine ranked teams."

Analysis

Ex-England captain Charlotte Edwards, speaking on BBC Radio 5 live

I think four-day Tests are something they have got to try but the purist in me would like to see five-day Tests continue.

Anyone who is watching the Ashes series this winter will want them to continue as five-days. I think there's a place, potentially, for four-day Test cricket and it's great that the ICC are looking into that.

I think the future of the game looks bright in any format, which is the most important thing.

How would the ODI league affect teams?

The top seven one-day sides currently automatically qualify for the World Cup, with a qualifying tournament held for the lower-ranked sides.

The new league would see the top-13 teams play eight series lasting three matches over three years.

"Bringing context to bilateral cricket is not a new challenge, but this is the first time a genuine solution has been agreed on," ICC chairman Shashank Manohar added.

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253 comments

Comment posted by Jason, at 06:35 13 Oct 2017
Instead of four day tests, why not enforce the slow over rate and mandatory 90 over days? When you see 12.5 overs per hour and 83 over days, these are the problems of test cricket. 4 day tests are madness.
Comment posted by NeilT, at 06:48 13 Oct 2017
We've been trialling five-day Test matches for the best part of 100 years. Gone pretty well so far.
Comment posted by hmmurdoch, at 06:29 13 Oct 2017
Leagues good. Four day tests bad. Some things should be left as they are.
Comment posted by gigolo, at 06:35 13 Oct 2017
Have no problem with the Test Championship or ODI league but 4 day test matches, no thanks.
I just think it will lead to more negative cricket. Teams can hold on for a draw easier. Plenty of test matches finish with 50-60 overs of the full over allocation.
Test matches are far from dead. It is the peak. T20 players will not be remembered as greats in 20 years time.
Comment posted by AverageAllah, at 06:54 13 Oct 2017
Moving to four days all but guarantees that a match with a day lost to rain will be a draw. I hope they would at least consider extending the game if time is lost.
Comment posted by Dpswatson, at 07:47 13 Oct 2017
If the ICC want more people to watch cricket, then get it off Sky, slash ticket prices to internationals and encourage clubs to slash membership prices - especially for children.
Comment posted by lazycrusader, at 06:30 13 Oct 2017
5 day tests can always finish early . . . What about all those great 5th day finishes? I guess we'll see how the trial goes.
Comment posted by Badger, at 06:39 13 Oct 2017
This is the beginning of th end. Most of the good test matches go 5 days whilst most of the 4 day matches are one sided and have little ebb and flow. Instead of trialling 4 day tests why don't they "trial" actually marketing the game. ICC haven't promoted tests for a long time whilst heavily promoting ODI and 20:20s. If those running the game aren't interested it's not surprising the public aren't
Comment posted by Moosh, at 06:50 13 Oct 2017
This isn't an idea the ICC have come up with,its TV messing things up again.
Comment posted by DolbyD, at 06:31 13 Oct 2017
Is the end of test cricket nigh? No more super fifth day climaxes. Can people not focus for five days? Pub Cricket T20 is not a professional sport, and should not be treated as such.
Comment posted by Peter Lanky, at 08:33 13 Oct 2017
Perhaps in the pursuit of money, the ICC should forget the cricketers. Just have a few acrobats, some flames and fireworks, a fancy dress parade, a pop group to play snippets of music, and of course a huge beer tent, Sky would be happy, the ICC could rake in some cash, and the contracted players could model pyjamas for their almost £1M a year. Just put a scorecard on the internet to pretend.
Comment posted by User0231937954, at 09:23 13 Oct 2017
In any sport, you need to be able to defend as well as attack.

In test cricket the skill of blocking and protecting your wicket at all costs to bat out the fifth day on a deteriorating pitch is a dying art.

It'll be lost completely to the slogfest mentality if this trial is deemed a success.
Comment posted by Pierres28, at 11:00 13 Oct 2017
I have a barometer that's stands me in good stead. If England lose a T20 or an ODI then so what they will be another coming in a few days to instantly forget.

If England lose a test match I am genuinely gutted for a few days and really look forward to the next one in anticipation.Please leave test cricket alone in regards format but really look at what matters, over rates
& ticket prices
Comment posted by Vox Populi, at 06:55 13 Oct 2017
I can't agree with four day Test matches. It means that it is easier for teams to play for draws, and there will be far more negative cricket. Just because many Test matches are finishing early these days when grounds have sold tickets for Day 5 does not mean you shorten the match- teams knowing they have to survive more sessions creates pressure and tension in the game. TV/advertisers want this.
Comment posted by Bjorntorekvarme-leg-end, at 08:50 13 Oct 2017
@76 The presence of a 5th day is vital in my opinion. Teams are already losing the art of playing Test Match innings without reducing the length of time. Cardiff 2009 is another brilliant Test Match that simply wouldn't have been the same. The problem is that the media want every match to be like that, whereas I think fans appreciate them for the special and rare events they are.
Comment posted by will, at 07:40 13 Oct 2017
Apparently no one at the ICC likes cricket. It needs to be changed...all the time. It just isn't good enough, it just doens't seem modern enough, it isn't what people want, it isn't ... profitable enough...ah yes, profit.
Comment posted by D1679168092471, at 07:54 13 Oct 2017
4 day test matches.

I think the ICC have been experimenting with self-administered lobotomies.

How about you leave 5 day tests alone and put cricket back on free to air so I can watch England play without having to stream it from India you pointless imbeciles.
Comment posted by guzzie, at 09:38 13 Oct 2017
For me as a former avid fan cricket has disappeared into a black hole of obscurity since it sold out to Sky.
I refuse to be manipulated into subscribing to Sky so it can carry on throwing money into funding football simply so I can watch a few test matches every summer.
Until cricket returns to the mainstream I personally don't care what format it adopts as I never get to watch it anyway.
Comment posted by D1701965278632, at 07:29 13 Oct 2017
Some great ideas BUT the over rate situation has to be addressed. The current tolerance of poor over rate is unfair on the public who pay the large sums to watch.
Comment posted by albert, at 06:44 13 Oct 2017
4 day test will be a draw fest and so much easier to play for if you are in a bad situation,will TV further manipulate the integrity of the game and bring D/L to get a result