ICC Test Play-Offs

[chelt_mackem]

I like the idea being put forward of having a play-off for gaining test status, but the suggestion of a 3 tier test championship would, in my opinion, really spice up the world of test cricket, as well as giving the associate nations more opportunities to play the longer game more often than a few games in the Intercontinental cup each year.

It probably would take a few 'rounds' of promotions and relegations to get used to as the first couple of current test teams to be relegated would be understandably pissed off at being the first victims of the new system. But something does need to be done as the endless pyjama crap we're currently getting is slowly killing the proper game off, by this time next year won't we have had something like 4 pyjama world cups in 2 years? It's ridiculous. But as has been said, for this to work, all series would have to be 4 or 5 matches with each match having a value in the context of the championship.

 

[ProfessionalMackem]

I like the idea being put forward of having a play-off for gaining test status, but the suggestion of a 3 tier test championship would, in my opinion, really spice up the world of test cricket, as well as giving the associate nations more opportunities to play the longer game more often than a few games in the Intercontinental cup each year.

It probably would take a few 'rounds' of promotions and relegations to get used to as the first couple of current test teams to be relegated would be understandably pissed off at being the first victims of the new system. But something does need to be done as the endless pyjama crap we're currently getting is slowly killing the proper game off, by this time next year won't we have had something like 4 pyjama world cups in 2 years? It's ridiculous. But as has been said, for this to work, all series would have to be 4 or 5 matches with each match having a value in the context of the championship.

Couldn't have put it more eloquently myself.

imo for test cricket to survive and not become stagnant. We need something drastic like this three tier system.

 

[TwasOnTheFifthOfMay]

It's an interesting concept, but seems a bit slow only having the play off every four years. Why not every year, but with the last team admitted maybe having protection for a couple of years to guarantee them at least a chance to establish themselves?

Anyway, as for Porterfield saying "The ultimate goal of Irish Cricket is to not only stop players moving on and playing for England, but [to get] the county lads that are playing in England back home and on full-time contracts playing domestic cricket there," I really can't see that. Surely they will want to be playing county cricket if they can and I can't see a competition of remotely comparable strength enough to satisfy their best players ever getting going over the water.

 

[brandon]

Think that's a pipe dream really, if hazard a guess that perhaps the first or most viable step would be to get an Irish side into the County game.