Two-tier cricket would be “greedy”

Introducing a two-tier system to the World Test Championship would be “greedy” and would “sully the game,” says former England fast bowler Steven Finn.

A report by the Melbourne Age, external said International Cricket Council (ICC) chair Jay Shah is set to meet his Cricket Australia counterpart Mike Baird and England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) boss Richard Thompson later this month, with sources saying proposals for two tiers of the World Test Championship will be discussed.

The plans could see India, Australia, England, South Africa, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and New Zealand in tier one, with West Indies, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Ireland and Zimbabwe making up the second tier.

It would be introduced after the current Future Tours Programme ends in 2027.

The report said India, Australia and England are “conscious of the rapid growth” of franchise leagues and private investment and the potential two-tier plan is their latest attempt to combat those concerns.

“I don’t like it – I don’t think it’s good for the game,” Finn told BBC Radio 5 Live.

“I think it’s greedy – monetising something that is so pure like Test cricket feels like it is sullying the game. It just doesn’t sit right with me.”

Former England batter Ebony Rainford-Brent is also against the proposals.

“If we just see more and more of the big guns going against each other, great, I’m sure it would be entertaining, but what does it mean for the game?” she told 5 Live.

“The reality is that we’re playing in a global game, and what we do want – just to play a couple of countries to keep the buzz there consistently?

“Scheduling and timing of key series does become really important and trying to avoid those big windows [like Olympics and major football tournaments], but I wouldn’t sacrifice having a global game just to keep everyone revved up 24/7.”

(BBC Sport)