Structure of Test Cricket

Is it time for a re-structuring of Test Cricket?

Cricket is on the rise in many countries, Afghanistan just to name one.

In the early days of cricket the number of teams playing cricket was relatively small - but now many more countries, Nepal, Ireland, Bulgaria, just to name a few, are playing in the World Cricket League.

Ireland are reigning champions of this league, and it got me thinking.

Should there be a re-structuring of the way Test Cricket is run?

Ireland have proved that they are the best minnows in the world, and surely they have won the privelage of playing Test cricket against the big teams at the best stadiums in the world. They now play in the T20 and World Cup but I think they've earnt more than just that.

Also, I've been watching a bit of West Indies v Zimbabwe.

To put it bluntly, Zimbabwe are pretty terrible. Windies are by no means a fantastic Test side, sure they have Chris Gayle but apart from that they don't have any world beaters. West Indies are probably the third worst Test side (infront of Zimbabwe and Bangladesh) and yet they are trouncing them convincingly.

Ireland and Netherlands have beaten top teams in the past, and have shown their potential as cricketing teams. Bangladesh and Zimbabwe have been lingering at the bottom of the Test rankings for years now, and it's my opinion that the Test system needs spicing up a bit.

Boyd Rankin of Ireland has given up playing cricket for Ireland in the hope of being picked for England's test team, and more eg George Dockrell. will follow if something does not change.
For me there's three options.


Rankin - Pursuing English Cricket

1. Give Ireland/Ireland and Netherlands Test Status, so they can keep their best players and prove their cricketing ability.
2. Create a two tier system where every so often (probably every two years) one or two teams are relegated from division one and promoted from division two. This way teams such as Ireland, Afghanistan and Netherlands have something to strive for, and the lesser Test teams such as Bangladesh and Zimbabwe would get to be competitive if they got relegated, which lets be honest, would be extremely likely.
3. Option three would to keep it exactly the same as it is now, which would mean teams losing players, and Bangladesh and Zimbabwe would continue to be the whipping dogs of England, South Africa etc.

Option three is the one I would personally avoid at all costs, option one would be a compromise but option two is definitely the one for me.

Will it actually happen though? Will the ICC pull their fingers out and actually act? Only time will tell, if the idea gets enough support anything could happen.

But I can't see it happening, I really do hope it will, but I just can't.

Cheers