by Aerie » Sun Jan 15, 2023 5:18 pm
I agree re things like going off for bad light shouldn’t happen. Why not bring in a pink ball if light gets bad, much like they change a ball if it goes out of shape. More penalties for not getting through 90 overs in a day - or even 30 overs in a session. However, I wouldn’t change too much else regarding Test cricket.
Keeping in mind T20 or short format franchise cricket is taking over. India and Asia is now the major force in cricket and Australia and England are the other big players - where Test cricket is still popular, I’d suggest the following…
I’d change the fixture to have the equivalent of a Test World Cup, ODI World Cup and T20I World Cup happen every year.
The Test World Cup over 2 months with the best 6 nations playing each other once - top 2 play final. The ODI and T20I World Cups over 3 and a bit weeks in the Super 12 format we saw for the T20 WC recently in Australia. Qualifier tournaments could be held at the same time with lower nations a chance to qualify for the following year in each format - promotion/relegation.
The ICC should be able to make a packet from these tournaments and pay each player from each nation a decent pay packet to make these tournaments the highest level of cricket.
There should be 4 months where the major franchise T20 tournaments are given exclusive access to all players and likewise, when these international world cups are on, no franchise cricket to be played. January for BBL, Sth Af, UAE etc. April/May for IPL, July for The Hundred, US etc.
Due to popularity of format, time zones etc. over an 8 year cycle:
Asia would alternate hosting a T20I or ODI World Cup each year. Usually in October. They would host one Test World Cup also.
England would host the Test World Cup every 2nd year in June & July. They would host one T20I and one ODI World Cup over the 8 year cycle.
Australia/NZ would host a Test World Cup every 4 years and one T20I and one ODI World Cup over the 8 year cycle.
South Africa would host one Test, one T20I and one ODI World Cup over the 8 year cycle.
West Indies would host one T20I and one ODI World Cup over the 8 year cycle.
12 months would look like:
Jan - Franchise cricket - BBL etc
Feb/Mar - International friendlies leading to WC in Aus/NZ/SAF or WI
Apr/May - Franchise cricket - IPL etc
Jun/Jul - international cricket in England
Aug - Franchise Cricket - The Hundred etc.
Sep/Oct - International friendlies leading to WC in Asia
Nov/Dec - International bilateral series
Australian summers might look like this over a 4 year period:
Year 1: Nov/Dec Ashes, Jan BBL, Feb 3xODI or T20I friendlies
Year 2: Nov/Dec India in Aus, Jan BBL, Feb T20I or ODI World Cup
Year 3: Nov/Dec Test World Cup (final MCG Boxing Day), Jan BBL, Feb 3x ODI or T20I friendlies
Year 4: Nov/Dec Other Int side in Aus, Jan BBL, Feb 3x ODI or T20I friendlies