Report: World Test Championship set to get a nod from the ICC

International Cricket Council (ICC) will give a green signal to the much awaited World Test Championship at a meeting New Zealand this week, it was reported on Monday. The governing body has backed the initiative in order to promote five-day cricket and multiply its popularity. The shortest format of the game-T20 has taken a front seat in a dominating manner and therefore this will be a welcome call.

The Sydney Morning Herald reported that talks for a nine-nation Test championship is very much happening and the ICC was set to go ahead with the same on Friday at a meeting in Auckland. It is also believed that the inaugural edition would run over a 2 year-cycle.

Sutherland on the plan

Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland said that the league system will give Test series a much needed boost and a broader international space compared to bilateral series

“I don’t think people have quite cottoned on to how significant this is,” Sutherland said on Sunday. “Context is one thing but you’re also creating structure in such a way that you no longer have games without meaning. They are all part of a league championship. There is a story, there is a narrative behind it all.

“It’s part of a multi-lateral championship that everyone is a part of. Not only is there context for the two teams in a series, but the good thing is there [is] an extra third-party interest. For other countries it means something for them as well because the result could determine where they end up.”

“In terms of the specific structure for the one-day league and the Test championship it’s pretty well close,” Sutherland said. “Hopefully it gives fans lots to talk about and lots to think about and from a players’ perspective each one of those matches counts.

“In terms of the question marks about one-day cricket and its context … obviously there is clear context with the World Cup. We’re building the concept around matches in between each World Cup and those games counting for World Cup qualification similar to the way football operates.” he added