Kriterion_BD wrote:Also the latest cricinfo article suggested the boards seem to agree on using Zim, Ire, and Afg as tour matches for SA, ENG, PAK tours respectively. So a one off 5 day Test would replace the traditional 3 day first class match vs a domestic or A team. Thats 2 Tests per year, or 4 per cycle for the lower division sides.
jaybro wrote:
If Zimbabwe got to host 2 test v any side prior to touring RSA, that would definitely give us 4 tests a year minimum which is better than what we have ATM plus tests against Ireland and Afghanistan. I'm sure BD would still play is aswell. Problem is england will not tour Zimbabwe so once they decide not to the rest will as well .....
Kriterion_BD wrote:Big 3 wont. England due to politics and India and Australis since they dont have the time in their schedules and even if they did, they wouldnt want to.
Pak, SL, WI, and BD would Im sure tour though 2 tests puts increase risk of injuries.
Having Zim, Afg and Ire serve as tour matches ahead of tours to SA, Pak/Ind/SL and England makes a lot of sense and is something I would support. It should have been done ages ago and should also have been done for Bang in regards to tours to India, SL and Pakistan (they can still do that by the way).
England won't tour Zimbabwe, but they don't have to. They can play Zimbabwe in South Africa just as how nobody plays Pakistan in Pakistan anymore (except the Afghans). So most likely England would play a Zimbabwe XI in a 4-day tour match in South Africa while all other teams would play Zimbabwe in a 5-day test in Zimbabwe ahead of a South Africa tour. All teams meanwhile would likely play Afghanistan in the UAE ahead of a series with Pakistan in the UAE. On rare occasion they may play Afghanistan in Afghanistan ahead of a Pakistan series in the UAE.
With regards to the scheduling, I think there might in fact be time based on the fact that they seem to intend to reduce the number of tests required per series. So I can see (and remain hopeful) that Ind and Aus would tour Zimbabwe ahead of a South Africa series (in any case if the normal tour matches are abandoned in favour of a match with Zimbabwe then scheduling really wouldn't be a problem).