DUBAI — In a bid to raise interest in Test cricket, the ICC Cricket Committee and the MCC World Cricket Committee, proposed to conduct a Test championship.
The delegates agreed that a meaningful context for Tests – such as some form of championship – is required to keep it as the pinnacle of the sport. The ODIs must redevelop their own identity with the balance between bat and ball improved, it observed.
The discussion also included the idea of day-night Tests, rebranding the concept of Test cricket, making the playing regulations more flexible from series to series.
The committee said international cricket can and should sustain the three formats of Tests, ODIs and Twenty20 internationals in the long term. “It was a very productive and interesting meeting held in a good spirit of cooperation,” Clive Lloyd, the chairman of the ICC Cricket Committee, told reporters at a press conference at the ICC headquarters in Dubai Sports City on Thursday.
“The MCC has some great cricketing minds on its committee, people with a huge amount to offer the game. And so do we at the ICC. It was fascinating to hear those views expressed in such a positive and engaging forum as this,” Lloyd said.
MCC World Cricket Committee chairman Tony Lewis said: “Some of the many things we at the MCC have worked on over the past 12 months – such as a Test match championship, umpire referrals and research into pink balls – we were able to share and express our opinions. It has been an excellent, rewarding workshop that has produced some good ideas.”
The observations of the meeting will be presented to the ICC Chief Executives’ Committee at its next meeting, which takes place in Dubai on November 30 and October 1.
The ICC Cricket Committee included Clive Lloyd (chairman), Mickey Arthur, Warren Deutrom, David Kendix, Tim May, David Richardson, Ravi Shastri, Simon Taufel and Mark Taylor. The MCC World Cricket Committee was represented by Tony Lewis (chairman), Geoffrey Boycott, Keith Bradshaw, Tony Dodemaide, Majid Khan, Shaun Pollock, Barry Richards, Michael Tissera and Courtney Walsh. Also present were ICC president David Morgan, ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat, MCC assistant secretary John Stephenson and Hugh Morris from England and Wales Cricket Board.
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