Changing the Rules to Suit Their Own Needs?

The Test Championship of Cricket was always intended to be another cash cow for the big three, India, England and Australia. So understandably the triumvirate are more than a little miffed that South Africa have crashed the party.

They have claimed that this has made a mockery of the Championship as the Proteas have not played any of these three nations in 2024. They did actually play a one-off test against India at the beginning of 2024.

Whose fault is it that they have not played the big three?

Once again, these three nations are so hellbent on simply filling their own coffers that today they only occasionally lower themselves to play any of the other test playing nations, and it is almost begrudgingly.

While the three are arguably the best Test playing nations currently, it does become a little tedious when they play each other so much. Players have become so familiar with each other – often blamed on the IPL – that the competitive edge that fans want to see is often lacking.

News that they are looking to play an Ashes series every two years makes many wonder whether too much of a good thing will eventually kill the golden goose.

Credit to South Africa that they have still achieved the results necessary in 2024 to see them make the final of the Test Championship. 

South Africa has taken on New Zealand to whom they lost both Tests; India too lost to New Zealand in 2024.

They beat the West Indies, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka in three two-test series. At the end of the year, they also beat Pakistan in a two-test series with the second test being played in 2025.

Cricket fans know, as they are told frequently enough that Test match cricket rarely makes money, and often that depends entirely on the opposition, however, to play a two-test series seems daft. Surely the ICC should insist on an odd number so that there is the potential to have a winner of the series? Three or five tests was always the norm.

The introduction of the World Test Championship was seen as being an annual battle between England, India and Australia as to who was the best in the World, however so far that has not worked to plan.

In the first Test Championship play-off New Zealand crashed the party beating India. In year two parity was restored as Australia defeated India. Now in year three South Africa has again spoiled the party.

The South Africans played 12 tests home and away in 2024 recording 8 wins 3 losses and one draw. India, England and Australia played more Tests, but all played each other.

Australia who will play South Africa in the final played 17 tests, England 22 and India 19. Except for New Zealand (14) and The West Indies (11) all the other test playing nations played the same number of matches as South Africa, 12.

The final table is worked out on percentages, but all teams receive similar points with a win being worth 12 points. A draw is worth 4 points, and a tie is worth 6 points.

Over the course of the year Australia lost 10 points for slow over rates. Others to be deducted points for slow over rates were India (2), New Zealand (3) England (22), Bangladesh (3) and Pakistan (8).

It comes as no surprise that there is now talk of moving the goalposts to try and ensure that the big three are involved in the finals every year with England, India and Australia meeting with the ICC to propose a two-tier league for the Test championship.

This was actually raised back in 2016, but was shut down by Zimbabwe, Bangladesh and India, who believed this would in fact impact on revenue from the Test matches. The other argument was that the lesser nations would miss out on playing against the top nations. Some would argue that this is already the case now.

The only way that such a system could work would be if there was promotion and relegation. No doubt those at the top would want to protect their status so it would be expected that the team that finished bottom of the top tier would play-off against the top team in the second tier. Rather than bot simply going up or down between the two tiers.

This would also one would expect be a winner financially, if money from the match was shared.

If promotion to that top tier resulted in the nation having more games against their fellow top tier nations, then this could prove to be a match that would really capture the imagination. It would in fact have more interest that the top two teams playing of to be crowned Test Champions.

If one looks at the table for this year the top five teams were in order, South Africa, Australia, India, New Zealand and Sri Lanka. The bottom four were England, Bangladesh, Pakistan and the West Indies.

So, if the split was at five, England would be in the bottom tier next year or would play-off with Sri Lanka for promotion. If they remained in the bottom tier, should they be permitted as many matches against the top sides?

“Baz Ball” may have to be abandoned in search of more wins. In the past year England played 22 Test matches won 11, drew one and lost 10.

Many past players are saying that cricket needs more games between the top test playing nations, as this is the only way test cricket is viable. However, a closed shop only benefits those at the top. How are the other nations ever going to have a chance to become a top test playing nation if they do not get to play against the top teams?

If cricket is to go down this path, and it will not happen until 2027 as tour schedules have been locked in, there must be promotion and relegation.

The other impact this will have is that teams will not want to risk losing points due to slow over rates as it could see them fall into the second tier. Remember England and Australia had the most points deducted for such an offence.

There is merit in the idea however it cannot be created purely to protect the interests of India, Australia and England. It has to be there to benefit the game as a whole.