Test championship gains support at ICC-MCC meeting

The notion of a World Test Championship has been given further credence after representatives from the ICC Cricket Committee and the MCC World Cricket Committee met in Dubai to discuss the general landscape of the game, with specific reference to the place of Tests and ODIs in a broader context.

The delegates present at the meeting included the current South Africa coach, Mickey Arthur, the leading umpire, Simon Taufel, and Tim May, the chief executive of FICA, and there was a general agreement that Test cricket must remain the pinnacle of the sport, and that a more meaningful context - such as some form of Test championship - would help raise interest in that format of the game.

"It was a very productive and interesting meeting held in a good spirit of cooperation," said Clive Lloyd, the chairman of the ICC Cricket Committee. "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."

The findings of the meeting tally with an MCC survey, in which 1500 fans were polled in India, South Africa and New Zealand. More than 80% of Indian fans said that they were at least regular followers of Test cricket, but fans from all three countries believed that a World Test Championship would raise interest in the sport.

A number of possible enhancements for Test cricket were discussed at the meeting, including the idea of day-night Tests, rebranding the concept of Test cricket, making the playing regulations more flexible from series to series while also remaining mindful of the long tradition of the game.

The delegates also discussed the ODI format and how that needs to remain viable and popular. It was accepted that international cricket can and should sustain the three formats of Tests, ODIs and Twenty20 Internationals in the long term but that ODIs must redevelop their own identity with the balance between bat and ball improved.

"I want to thank the ICC for the invitation to meet in this way," said Tony Lewis, the MCC World Cricket Committee Chairman. "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 this joint-meeting will be presented to the ICC Chief Executives' Committee at its next meeting, which takes place in Dubai on 30 November and 1 October.

Present at the meeting were:

ICC Cricket Committee Clive Lloyd (chairman), Mickey Arthur, Warren Deutrom, David Kendix, Tim May, David Richardson, Ravi Shastri, Simon Taufel, Mark Taylor

MCC World Cricket Committee Tony Lewis (chairman), Geoffrey Boycott, Keith Bradshaw, Tony Dodemaide, Majid Khan, Shaun Pollock, Barry Richards, Michael Tissera, Courtney Walsh

Also in attendance David Morgan (ICC president), Haroon Lorgat (ICC chief executive), John Stephenson (MCC assistant secretary) and Hugh Morris (England & Wales Cricket Board).