Martin Crowe's Test Championship idea

[Zap_Brannigan]

Probably the worst idea i have heard.So basically to make test interesting, lets take all the elements the makes test series interesting and chuck them out. For people who dont know here is the format : - Top 8 teams make it to quarterfinals - 1 off 6 day test (to get result according to him) at the higher ranked team's home. - If its a draw, home team will go to next round. If it rains, home team will go. So basically India has to have all games in monsoon season in chepauk for winning the competition without bowling a ball. - 4 QF games, 2 SF games and 1 finals - total just 7 games every year to decide who is the test champion - All other test matches are used only for the rankings that determine which is the home team

[Feed]

Cricket: Crowe appeals to ICC to simplify both forms of game New Zealand great Martin Crowe says the International Cricket Council (ICC) should focus on the longest and shortest versions of the game to secure its future More... Martin Crowe gives ICC the long and short of it Thursday August 12, 2010 Source: NZPA Former Black Caps bating hero Martin Crowe bats for New Zealand in 1992 New Zealand great Martin Crowe says the International Cricket Council (ICC) should focus on the longest and shortest versions of the game to secure its future. Crowe told the cricinfo website that attempts to make one-day internationals more appealing would lead to confusion, instead advocating context be added to test matches through an annual knockout championship while consolidating the popularity of Twenty20 cricket. "I don't believe three forms will work, I think it is confusing," Crowe said. "I think new formats, tinkering with rules like silly split innings will only see the global game become another fun park with different rides and attractions. That will just dilute the market and create confusion and chaos. "They (ICC) have to consolidate the two forms, like we sort of had it in the 70s and 80s with 50-overs cricket and test cricket. Settle on Twenty20, just see out the life of 50-over cricket and therefore give test cricket the chance to stand on its own as one strong pillar alongside Twenty20." Crowe, who is part of an MCC cricket committee, presented plans to the ICC last September to make test cricket more competitive. He proposed a yearly test championship comprising seven six-day knockout games, with the top four ranked teams hosting the bottom four in quarterfinals within the Future Tours Programme (FTP). It would start in 2012. "We have to get to a point where we are hosting a test championship final and those seven games will become the great focus throughout the course of the year for all the media, the fans and the teams," Crowe said. "It also gives all eight teams a chance, over six days, to win that test match and progress forward. This way we are also using the FTP and the existing schedule. So, not a lot has to change but just the case of marketing the knockout format within the FTP." It would give the longer form of the game a focus, something the shorter versions have in abundance. "At the moment, you have World Cups, Champions Trophies, World Twenty20, the IPL, the Champions League, all these shorter formats are up and running, dominating the landscape, and they all have a meaning and they all crown a champion. But Test cricket, which is the pinnacle, is the purest and the best form of the game, doesn't have anything." Crowe also backed the concept of day-night tests and the use of pink balls for marketing purposes.

[Lord]

:WTF:

[cowboysfan]

one of the most pathetic ideas ever,why would you demean a test championship by including utter crap teams like bang,pakis and WI. my idea is to have a 2 tier system(4 top teams).let each team play one series against the other teams home and away for 2 years .the best team will prevail,very simple.

[Gunner_Mania]

I am listening to Harsha, Martin Crowe & Manju discuss this on CI http://www.cricinfo.com/ci/content/current/video_audio/472001.html

[Gunner_Mania]

I think its a step forward, but it seems to be hastily put together without much thought. Top 4 teams have the advantage - playing at home, will go through if it is a draw, so the bottom 4 will remain rubbish. People are giving tests a miss because it takes 5 days and he is suggesting 6 days.

[kabira]

Where is the time for this?? and how will fit it. When its Englands home season, its offseason everywhere. So if England is home team, there will be one Q/F and other 3 Q/F later in the year?? how will this make sense.

[THX_1138]

this 6 day test is a dumb idea. the only place one might need it is maybe sri lanka or pakistan where they make placid pitches. most games at mumbai or mohali or chennair or eden gardens produce results. nevertheless, have tests between teams in a round robin in one continuous year. a best of three between two pools of three teams each and the top team in two pools progress to a final contest. thus, the top six teams (aus, saf, ind, sri, engl, pak/nzl/west indies/zimbabwe) compete against each other in two groups of three each. every team in the pool plays the other twice in three test formats: once at home and once away. that might produce the same result too. and since the number of test that a team would play would be at most 12 (18 for the finalists), i think its a reasonable number.

[The Outsider]

Test cricket is fine without an artificial championship.

[King]

A championship that spreads to about 4 years is required not a knock out each year. If they do go with this plan, the home teams will prepare pitches to suit their needs. Flat tracks all around the world will become a common phenomenon as no one would like to lose a test match in a knock out situation. If they do introduce first innings leaders as winners, forget all the ups and downs in test cricket. If a team is desperate in need of a victory you will see an absolute green track or a spinner's paradise. Test matches will either be over in less than 2 days or will end in a draw. A workable solution is to build up the points for 4 years and then have a semi finals and a finals. That will mean more teams will try to play on tracks that will produce results.

[Serani]

I honestly dont like the idea of a test championships, it just seems pretty hard to implement well and will not serve to improve the crap teams which is what is needed more.

[jusarrived]

Ind Eng Aus SA SL Pak WI Ban Zim Ken Ire scotland/Holland & so on , make multiple tiers with one team getting promoted/relegated from each group every two years . Fix the number of matches in these series to 3-4 . four teams should be able to play each other once home/away in 2 years easily.

[jusarrived]

ie if we have to make changes