Test Cricket is going to take a rather unexpected turn if the two-tier system is introduced by the ICC. It was announced by the governing body that a new format is going to be adopted to revive the lost glory of the longer format of the game.
To be very honest, apart from the Ashes and a few matches, Tests are played in front of empty stands. It is a sad sight for the most the most glorious format of the beautiful game. A proposed two-tier format is going to be introduced, the top-seven teams from the current Test playing nations will feature in the upper-tier, while the bottom three teams will be relegated to the lower-tier. The relegated teams will join two associate teams and compete amongst themselves.
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Let us have a look at the 5 teams which will get affected If the two-tier format is introduced:
1) Ireland
Ireland has been the team which showed that they have the potential to compete at the highest level. Entering the super 8 stage of the ICC World Cup 2007, followed by the upset over England in 2011 and over West Indies in 2015, they promised more in the coming days. But the one thing they would like to cherish is to play Test Cricket.
They showed their intention to attain Test status in 2012 when Cricket Ireland Executive Warren Deutrum declared their vision to play Test Cricket by 2020. Though he outlined the vision in 2015 and laid a new strategic plan.
The ICC promised that Ireland would be given Test status if they win the ICC 2015-17 Intercontinental Cup and defeat the 10th ranked Test team in a four test match series in 2018. If they achieve that, they would become the 11th Test playing Nation.
As per the new regulations, only 7 teams are going to compete in the Upper Tier and Ireland would only be playing against the lower ranked teams.
2) Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is the lowest ranked Test team in the world at the 10th spot. Their performance at the International level has been poor as they have won just three matches in their last 25 Tests, two of them being against lowly-ranked Bangladesh.
If the current rankings prevail, they are about to play the 2018 Test Challenge against the winner of 2015-17 Intercontinental Cup, and fight for their survival at the Top-flight.
Zimbabwe played their first Test match back in 1992. Since then, they were a full-time member. But after a series of poor performances and resignation of several senior players of the squad, the ICC along with Zimbabwe cricket voluntarily suspended the nation from Test cricket.
They made their comeback into Test cricket in 2011, when they hosted a one-match series against Bangladesh and won the match by 130 runs. Among the Test playing nations, Zimbabwe is poised to be in the most vulnerable position if the two-tier system is introduced.
3) Bangladesh
Bangladesh is a team which has shown a steady rise in their ODI performances in recent times but have failed to shine in the longer version. They currently are ranked 9th and are ahead of Zimbabwe, having played their first Test match back in 2000.
Since then, they have played 93 Test matches and won only 7, five of them being against Zimbabwe and two against a lacklustre West Indies squad back in 2009. They haven’t defeated any team other than Zimbabwe since 2009.
They are not at the bottom, but they have a huge possibility of being relegated as per the two-tier system, which will allow only 7 (or 8) teams in the upper tier.
They had a glorious year in ODIs in 2015, claiming series’ win Pakistan, India and South Africa at their own backyard but Tests are a different matter.
4) West Indies
When we talk about the West Indies, it reminds us of the invincible team which played during the late 70s and the early 80s. They had a glorious period of cricket in which they conquered each and every territory they played in. The Clive Llyod-led West Indian team won consecutive World Cups in 1975 and 1979, and losing out a third in 1983 after a defeat in the final against India.
Since the 90s, there has been a steep fall in the performance of the West Indies. Series defeats became a frequent phenomenon. After that, the only remarkable feat (in Tests and ODIs) they achieved was the ICC Champions Trophy in 2004.
In recent times, the conflict between the players and the Cricket Board has made the situation even worse. They are currently ranked 8th above Bangladesh and Zimbabwe and were thrashed during their last tour in Australia.
They are on the borderline, and a further slip would make it difficult for them to remain in the top-flight.
5) Afghanistan
Afghanistan has shown a steep rise in their performance in recent times. The Asian country have started playing bi-lateral series against full members which made their entry into the International arena.
They have been regular participants in major ICC Cricket tournaments as they qualified for consecutive World T20’s in 2010 and 2012.
The Asian team qualified for the World Cup in 2015 and won a match against Scotland. Their most memorable victory came when they defeated West Indies in the World T20 2016. Continuing their good form they also defeated Zimbabwe convincingly in both the ODI and T20 Internationals earlier this year, in the UAE.
The ICC specified that the second tier may see the likes of Ireland, Afghanistan and Nepal playing matches among each other along with the three bottom placed Test nations from the top-flight, which brightens their hopes of playing in the longer version.
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