World Test Championship

[Boris]

Re: World Test Championship

I don't see how it makes it redundant. There is currently a ranking system in place, it would be no different to what is happening now, just legitimate in the fact that teams are played in a more equal fashion and that a team can claim the number one status for a period rather than it being speculative.

The current ranking system doesn't award a trophy at the end of a recording season, doesn't effect the game very much and just gives sides an idea of where they are. That is all that is needed. Tests are about you and your opponent, one on one. ODIs are about you, your opponent and everyone else. Tests aren't the place for an actual competition that goes for 4 years. Fair enough giving a ranking over that time, but not a championship that actually matters. Teams don't go into a series with the intent of boosting their rating, but with this they would.

How can it drag down the importance of a series? Seriously, what you're saying already happens in test cricket, there is no difference to what is being suggested by yourself to what is already occurring. What it does do is gives a structured result that gives teams a clear indication of where they stand, gives teams something to aim for and also gives each team relevance rather than huge bias towards the money teams, a proper competition can be formed and a tier structure for expansion of test cricket can also be instigated.

It's all about context. This structured context offers something other than the competition between two rivals.

The Ashes for example. We all love it, even countries other than England and Australia, it is arguably the pinnacle series of Test cricket. All this competition does is offer a distraction outside of the tradition and the brilliance of the series. What happens if Australia absolutely needs to win the Ashes to stay in the Test competition, whereas England are already so far ahead it doesn't matter if they win or not? Of course they will play as hard as they can for the win of the Ashes, but then Australia has two things to worry about, and offers some pointless distraction.

If this happens in a lesser series, say Australia vs Bangladesh for example, and Australia doesn't need the win, you could see them playing almost a Second XI giving everyone else a rest. Games wouldn't be in context, you no longer are playing for the trophy between two countries, but for a World Cup trophy. Test cricket is NOT a sport where a World Cup can take place.

 

[OhMyGodTheChips]

Re: World Test Championship

The current ranking system doesn't award a trophy at the end of a recording season, doesn't effect the game very much and just gives sides an idea of where they are. That is all that is needed. Tests are about you and your opponent, one on one. ODIs are about you, your opponent and everyone else. Tests aren't the place for an actual competition that goes for 4 years. Fair enough giving a ranking over that time, but not a championship that actually matters. Teams don't go into a series with the intent of boosting their rating, but with this they would.

That's a load of crap. Teams don't go into a series with the intention of boosting their ratings? What, so they're not trying to win? There is no logic to what you are saying at all.

It's all about context. This structured context offers something other than the competition between two rivals.

The Ashes for example. We all love it, even countries other than England and Australia, it is arguably the pinnacle series of Test cricket. All this competition does is offer a distraction outside of the tradition and the brilliance of the series. What happens if Australia absolutely needs to win the Ashes to stay in the Test competition, whereas England are already so far ahead it doesn't matter if they win or not? Of course they will play as hard as they can for the win of the Ashes, but then Australia has two things to worry about, and offers some pointless distraction.

Worry about two things? What reality are you in? The concept is about teams winning, meaning teams have something to play for every test. Not just the Ashes, not just the big money draw cards. If you want to keep just Ashes as the pinnacle of Australian cricket, that's your view but it is to the detriment of world cricket.

If this happens in a lesser series, say Australia vs Bangladesh for example, and Australia doesn't need the win, you could see them playing almost a Second XI giving everyone else a rest. Games wouldn't be in context, you no longer are playing for the trophy between two countries, but for a World Cup trophy. Test cricket is NOT a sport where a World Cup can take place.

It isn't a world cup. It is a championship. You're trying to pull some decisive point out of thin air when all your points are currently being replicated, right now, in meaningless international cricket that is already being played. The current system is a detriment to the long term future of the game. You want games played in context? How bout dead rubbers, is that context? Nothing is going to be ruined by a test championship, all it would do is pay respect to all teams, rather than the big four.