World Test Championship: ECB reluctant on two-tier Test mannequin, worried over losing marquee clashes | Cricket News

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) shouldn’t be in favour of a two-division World Test Championship (WTC), particularly if it dangers England being positioned in a distinct division from Australia or India. That may imply lacking out on two of their largest and most worthwhile rivalries. Last month, the ICC shaped a working group, led by former New Zealand batter Roger Twose, to discover methods to enhance the WTC from the 2027 cycle onwards. A two-tier construction was one of many important concepts mentioned on the ICC’s annual meet in July. Twose, who sits on the ICC Board on behalf of New Zealand Cricket, is anticipated to make formal suggestions quickly. The concept of a tiered Test system has been round for greater than 15 years. While the ICC has proven curiosity way back to 2009, its members have remained divided over the mannequin.

During the opening day of the fifth Test at The Oval, ECB chairman Richard Thompson shared his ideas on BBC’s Test Match Special. He mentioned the worth of bilateral cricket was dropping as a consequence of a packed calendar dominated by T20 leagues, which has damage Test cricket in most nations. While acknowledging that the ICC is contemplating the two-tier mannequin, he admitted it might not be the perfect resolution. Thompson mentioned, “There are many options on the table. Tiers are one of them. But if England has a dip in form, should that mean we’re dropped into Division Two and don’t play India or Australia? That shouldn’t happen. We need to apply some common sense.” He felt that the present WTC format may very well be improved as a substitute. He pointed to South Africa’s shock win within the 2023-25 cycle as an excellent instance of how underdog groups can rise with the appropriate backing. “The WTC has helped create a narrative and added meaning. Seeing South Africa win was powerful. I know people like Graeme Smith, and to see him in tears on the outfield showed how much it meant. Despite my criticism of their ‘B’ team against New Zealand, their win was still good for the game.” Thompson added that somewhat than altering the format utterly, the scheduling of matches wanted a rethink. He additionally flagged the problems that will come up in 2028 when cricket is a part of the Olympics. “We’ll face challenges when our best players need to be in Los Angeles in mid-July. That will need to be factored into the calendar.”

The composition of the WTC working group remains to be unclear, however experiences counsel an eight-member committee may very well be shaped, together with representatives from non-Test nations. New ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta can also be anticipated to be concerned. With bilateral sequence already being mentioned for the 2027-29 cycle and media rights tenders developing, the ICC is beneath stress to make the WTC simpler. Still, resistance stays excessive. Full Member nations have lengthy been cut up on the concept. Some concern monetary losses from relegation, others fear about nationwide delight, and some reject the idea altogether. Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg, one other key voice within the debate, believes larger nations should assist smaller ones in retaining Test cricket alive. Speaking to SEN Radio, he mentioned a powerful West Indies, Pakistan, New Zealand and South Africa is in everybody’s curiosity. “Those countries can’t do it alone. We all need to help. I’ve spoken to many board CEOs and there’s a shared understanding that some changes are needed to bring more value to Test cricket.” Greenberg mentioned he’s open to the two-tier concept provided that it genuinely helps smaller nations develop stronger. “If it gives them more resources and opportunities, I’ll support it. But if it ends up hurting them, then I won’t.” He talked about that through the latest ICC chief executives assembly in Singapore, a number of others expressed the identical willingness to discover a constructive path ahead.