Test League and Day cut

ICC approve four-day Test ‘trials’, WTC and ODI league.

PTG Editor.

Saturday, 14 October 2017.

PTG 2275-11514.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has given the go-ahead for a trial of four-day Test matches over the next 20 months, thus clearing the way for the mooted day-night Test between South Africa and Zimbabwe in late December to be scheduled for four days (PTG 2256-11421, 23 September 2017).  The ICC has also given “in-principle” approval to the introduction of a nine-team World Test Championship (WTC) series, the first edition of which will run from 2019-21, and a thirteen-team One Day International (ODI) League which will be used to qualify for the World Cup of 2023 (PTG 2270-11486, 9 October 2017).

The Test competition, which will begin after the World Cup in 2019, is designed to increase interest in the longer form of the game and avoid one-sided affairs.  There will be a minimum of two matches in each series - all of which will be scheduled to last five days - but can be expanded to five for series such as the Ashes.  The top two teams will compete in a play-off in April 2021, with a final to be held in England two months later.  

Zimbabwe, Afghanistan and Ireland would initially be excluded from the WTC but the introduction of four-day Tests will give them exposure to Test cricket.  Ireland announced this week it would play its first ever men’s Test against Pakistan next year (PTG 2274-11508, 13 October 2017), the Irish womens’ team playing in a single Test 17 years ago well before the ICC took over responsibility for the womens’ international game (PTG 2275-11511 above), it too being against Pakistan.

A Test league has been mooted for years, with ICC chief executive David Richardson saying in 2016 that a league would help "create a real champion Test team".  Richardson said in announcing both initiatives on Friday: "Throughout the discussions about the future of Test cricket it became clear that we must also consider alternatives and trial initiatives that may support the future viability of Test cricket”.

The seven ODI sides that top the new league will automatically qualify for the World Cup, with a qualifying tournament held for the lower-ranked sides.  The new league would see the thirteen teams play eight series lasting three matches over three years.  "Bringing context to bilateral cricket is not a new challenge, but this is the first time a genuine solution has been agreed on”, added ICC chairman Shashank Manohar.