Test play-off mooted

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mas cambios

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Test play-off mooted

Recent talk has been how to save tests from the threat of Twenty20 and it seems that at some point in the future we'll get a true test championship.

Although the ICC favours the championship being played out over four or 5 years others have talked about having a yearly play off final against the teams ranked first and second.

It would work in various ways, Martin Crowe seems to favour a knock out championship whilst the ECB want a straight dog fight at the end of the ranking year.

The knockout championship is intriguing as they are proposed holding quarter finals in 4 countries (which will be rotated to ensure equal share of the pie), with the semi and final to be held in one country (England). It would only be open to the top eight but there would be a relegation and promotion system of sorts.

The straight dog fight is as it sounds, top two play off against each other. Will probably take place at a neutral venue.

I like the sound of both even though they both have obvious flaws, not least in how to fit them into the FTP. Then again, they have to make every game mean something, something which is tangible.

Thoughts?
 
Re: Test play-off mooted

I can remember reading Shane Warne's autobiography book as a kid and he was in favour of one, in the days before Twenty20 and when 50-over World Cups were the biggest trophy you could win, and the biggest competition on the world.
A 4 or 5 year championship would be good as a knockout comp, knockout because any longer and it would drag on forever.
You couldn't see it happening as test cricket is the ultimate pinnacle of sport but a couple of non-test teams would be interesting to a certain extent.
 
Re: Test play-off mooted

Or they could simply make sure all teams stick to the FTP, only 1 home and 1 away series v each team during the 3-4 year period and the teams with the most points gained play off at the end, obviously rather than points on matches they would need a simple series win, series draw points system, 4 for a win, 2 for a draw, would beat the current rankings crap and would pull the tests into line. Obviously after the final all points reset for the next 4 years so teams who struggle in 1 period can very easily get to the top in the next

Over 4 years it would mean each team has 2 teams to play each year at home and 2 away trips, obviously to fit in a 5 test Ashes they could play Bangladesh in their usual July timeslot in Darwin for Aus

The trouble with a test championship played every year is it just adds to the already overloaded schedule with another 3 tests for the sides who make the final and how would it be covered? All matches would have to be on at the same time so ruins things from a TV perspective as each country could only show its own games untill eliminated
 
Re: Test play-off mooted

Over the last 3 years, XXXX Beach Cricket has proved the games leading format. If anything, play lest tests and have more swingking vs plastic bat battles. Maybe switch the IPL and the world cup to beach cricket format?

channelxxxxbeachcricket.jpg
 
Re: Test play-off mooted

Border looks like an ex-girlfriends dad in that picture, scary.

Anyway, getting back on topic the FTP is great in theory but poor in practice. The ICC will not put any pressure on boards to actually stick to it, so you get England, Australia etc playing 15 tests a year and the rest playing 8.

I really think it's time for a two or three tiered test program. Top 8 teams make up the elite group, with two groups of 6 behind that. As it stands the top 8 would be:

Australia
England
India
South Africa
Pakistan
New Zealand
Sri Lanka
West Indies

Second group would consist of:

Bangladesh
Ireland
Kenya
Scotland
Zimbabwe
Afghanistan (for a variety of reasons)

Third tier (for example):

Netherlands
Canada
Bermuda
Namibia
U.A.E
Denmark

Each team plays the others twice, home and away, on best of 3 basis. Flagship series are played out as best of 5 (Ashes for example).

At the end of the period, there is promotion and relegation etc. This would help to make the games more meaningful and hopefully have something tangible that fans can follow. Top two or four could even play off if they wanted it.
 
Re: Test play-off mooted

The problem with that is that players in the lower-tier teams are not professionals, and wouldn't be able to fly the world and play regular test cricket unless a whole pile of money magically appeared. It seems unlikely that this money would appear though, through government funding or otherwise, unless the team achieved some international success.

Chicken and egg situation
 
Re: Test play-off mooted

That is one problem but on the other hand, there is money floating around the ICC. 12 games a year is only 60 days playing time, triple that to account for tours and other games takes you to about half a year. I'm sure with a bit of creative thinking they could come up with a competitive renumeration package for the players.

Even if they helped out and gave enough cash to finance 15 players at £20,000 for the lowest ranked 10 teams it only comes to £3,000,000 which isn't a great amount. I reckon most people would be happy with £20,000 for 6 months work plus free travel etc. The ICC already give generous handouts to most countries.

Of course, there would also be prize money based on the position finished (another incentive to make games competitive).

The game has to grow and to do so you need games that capture the imagination and that have something riding on them.
 
Re: Test play-off mooted

I love the initial thought of this and think it could work but the problem is that India would kill it. The BCCI only see series versus Australia, South Africa as being worthy. They have battled all the nations on a test championship and unfortunately more interested in advertising and TV money than growing the game.

I think the other issue is inter nation series like the Chapple Hadlee etc could go missing due to this. The idea is a great one and with proper implementation it could make Test Cricket even better . It does need saving but rather prestige that would make the game better and marketable.

This is going to take years of board discussion and I doubt much would come of it.
 
Re: Test play-off mooted

what exaclty are teams playing for currently?

i know the individual trophys like the ashes and such, and then for rankings.

is that it or is there something else?
 
Re: Test play-off mooted

hattrick;367851 said:
I love the initial thought of this and think it could work but the problem is that India would kill it. The BCCI only see series versus Australia, South Africa as being worthy. They have battled all the nations on a test championship and unfortunately more interested in advertising and TV money than growing the game.

I think the other issue is inter nation series like the Chapple Hadlee etc could go missing due to this. The idea is a great one and with proper implementation it could make Test Cricket even better . It does need saving but rather prestige that would make the game better and marketable.

This is going to take years of board discussion and I doubt much would come of it.
Click to expand...
One of the issues that has faced ODI cricket for a long time now, and in particular with the Twenty20 revolution is too many ODI cricket was played which is probably the biggest reason why it lost its charm (same with Twenty20 which will happen if it hasn't already).
Test cricket is the ultimate pinnacle in international cricket and a world championship would be a great way to promote it as just that.
The issues is obviously fitting it into an already packed/overcrowded international scheduele.
If it's going to go ahead then it shouldn't be played anything less than say a 5-year period.
 
Re: Test play-off mooted

Only play the top 4-6 test nations.

Australia, South Africa, India, England, Pakistan, Sri Lanka.

West Indies and New Zealand just aren't good enough.
 
Re: Test play-off mooted

Bennycoff;368180 said:
Only play the top 4-6 test nations.

Australia, South Africa, India, England, Pakistan, Sri Lanka.

West Indies and New Zealand just aren't good enough.
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i dont agree with that. there are 8 test playing nations. they are test playing because there are 8 teams in the world good enough to play tests.

new zealand and the windies deserve every chance to play in any comp like this. they have earnt their right to play tests. if they werent good enough they wouldnt be playing now.

new zealand are able to take on england and match them. i bet they would hold up pretty well against the current australian side too.

if the west indies sort out the political cricket issues they have been having for many years, with it sparking in importance now, they are a very good side. they just have to get their players left. they too beat england.

if those two sides cannot participate, then neither can england, despite winning an ashes series, because england cannot compete against them.
 
Re: Test play-off mooted

I know where you're coming from but the current WI side is a rabble.

Perhaps, the groups should be split into two groups of four then?

For example,

Grp 1
South Africa
Sri Lanka
England
New Zealand

Grp 2
India
Australia
Pakistan
West Indies
 
Re: Test play-off mooted

Bennycoff;368207 said:
I know where you're coming from but the current WI side is a rabble.

Perhaps, the groups should be split into two groups of four then?

For example,

Grp 1
South Africa
Sri Lanka
England
New Zealand

Grp 2
India
Australia
Pakistan
West Indies
Click to expand...


that seems like a much more feasible idea. im not too sure about the format of all this stuff. i a much more ODI kind of guy when it comes to planning, but a watcher of tests.

with the groups though, when do australia play england for the ashes if they are in different groups? what about the south african and new zealand rivalry? do they ever get to play each other until the next competition a number of years later?
 
Re: Test play-off mooted

Yeah didn't give it too much thought mate.

That was based on rankings more so than anything.

I meant a one off test championship where teams play each other once. We still have our separate series on the side like the Ashes.
 
Re: Test play-off mooted

So you are speaking a more ODI take to things where you have the same tours to different countries but then every now and then a competition like the Champions Trophy and the World Cup.

That would be good, except for the fact that a World Cup for Tests would go for a year.
 
Re: Test play-off mooted

I still like the idea of once home and once away in a 4 year period with a playoff at Lords for the top 2 sides

As for England not competing with the Windies and New Zealand, what a joke, sure the West Indies managed a fluke win then prepared the flattest pitches ever seen, they made the Adelaide Oval look like a minefield, then they came to England were absolutely annihilated, as for the Kiwis, never had much trouble against them
 
Re: Test play-off mooted

eddiesmith;368261 said:
I still like the idea of once home and once away in a 4 year period with a playoff at Lords for the top 2 sides

As for England not competing with the Windies and New Zealand, what a joke, sure the West Indies managed a fluke win then prepared the flattest pitches ever seen, they made the Adelaide Oval look like a minefield, then they came to England were absolutely annihilated, as for the Kiwis, never had much trouble against them
Click to expand...

I think your idea there is the best one so far. I like how it keeps the normal series and just makes it into a competition.

The England thing, I was joking a little, but New Zealand can keep up with Australia at times, even if it is only for a day. Plus they are getting better.
The Windies deserve at least a look. It has to be for all of them.
 
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