The idea of implementing a two-tier structure for Test cricket hasn’t found favour with the West Indies legend and former captain Clive Lloyd, who feels it will defy the objective of giving Test status to new teams, who will be left to play in the lower division.
“Well, I don’t see a two-tier system (happening). I am very disturbed about this and I’m hoping that something is done, and that it must be stopped now. We’re not talking about 30 or 40 cricket teams – it’s ten teams. We should be able to have a system where everybody should be playing cricket often,” said Lloyd as reported by IANS.
A meeting of Cricket Australia’s chairperson Mike Baird, ECB chief Richard Thompson and the BCCI officials with the ICC Chairman Jay Shah is scheduled for later this month to deliberate on the subject, according to a report in ‘The Sydney Morning Herald’.
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“Test cricket is still one of the most popular games to play as far as cricket is concerned. But we seem to be putting it to one side, and I don’t think that’s very good at all. We have to have a better system. We have to sit down and work out and not just say T20 is the ‘the’ thing,” said Lloyd.
“Not everybody wants to watch T20 cricket – we want to watch Test cricket because T20 cricket is an exhibition, while Test cricket is an examination.”
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A significant risk exists regarding the increasing performance gap between leading and lower-ranked Test cricket nations. Additionally, teams in the second tier face potential financial difficulties if they lack opportunities to compete against top Test teams.
“The effect it would have is we would not be able to produce the type of cricket that we have over the years because we will be playing in a second tier. You can only improve by playing against better opposition. You cannot be playing among yourselves in a lower league and get up there,” the West Indies legend further said.
The concept of implementing a two-tier Test structure was initially suggested in 2016; however, it failed to materialise due to resistance from various cricket boards. Currently, the proposed system, if sanctioned, may enable England, India and Australia to compete against each other twice within three years instead of four.
“It will be terrible for all those countries that worked so hard to get to Test match status, and now they’ll be playing among themselves in the lower section, with relegation and promotion around it. How are they going to make it to the top? A better system would be to give teams the same amount of money so they can get the tools to improve.”
During his captaincy from 1982 to 1984, Lloyd guided the West Indies through an exceptional streak of 27 Tests without a loss, including 11 consecutive victories. He also previously served as an ICC Match Referee and headed its Cricket Committee.
“I am very disappointed. I mean, the point is that all these other countries have worked very hard to get there. We have been in ICC for nearly 100 years. We are one of, if not the most successful Test team over the years. Going back into 1950s when we were in the ascendancy at a certain stage – we worked hard for what we achieved over that period, with only five billion people – with Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, and South Africa having more people than us,” said Lloyd, captain of West Indies’ 1975 and 1979 World Cup-winning teams.
He emphasised that the International Cricket Council bears the responsibility of ensuring financial viability for Test cricket in the Caribbean, noting the challenges faced in generating revenue within the region.
“We have a great history, and now you’re going to tell us, because of a monetary situation, this is how it’s going to be. You see the T20 tournaments have destroyed our cricket, because if you come from our cricket nation, such a small population, when you’re losing all of your players, because they’re being offered more money,” said Lloyd.
“But look at our achievements, and when it came to a situation of holding tournaments, we’re 14 islands. We have to fly everywhere, and our cricket is held during a very expensive period for hotels, so we struggle a lot. We need a special dispensation because we are islands. You can imagine them talking about dismantling the West Indies teams and playing as their own (islands).”
He concluded by saying: “We cannot sustain a system with the money we have at the moment. We were the cash cows for a lot of countries over the years. We are not asking for something we should not acquire. In the 1970s we helped England by playing county cricket, and their cricket got that lift. We are in a situation where we need help and we can’t get it.”
