test cricket

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zimdan
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Re: test cricket

Post by zimdan »

We'd all love to see that, but we also know that wil never happen.

Zimbabwe wil resume test cricket sometime in 2008, that is pretty much as definate as you can get. To be honest our recent results havnt been that bad, and even if we have lost, it hansnt been by a country mile like in previous years. What people need to understand is that for world cricket to develop its important to have weaker sides, otherwise cricket will become stagnant.

The ICC need weaker sides like zimbabwe and bangladesh to play test cricket to promote the sport and inspire smaller cricketing countries that aything is possible. Zimbabwe could be used as a perfect example, a mass exodus of their top players yet pure passion and dedication to the game by youngsters have brought the side back frm the dead and on the brink of test cricket once again.

If that isnt enough to inspire a country to move their cricket forward im not quite sure what is.

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maehara
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Re: test cricket

Post by maehara »

zimdan wrote:We'd all love to see that, but we also know that wil never happen.
Sadly true. For as long as major decisions are made by a vote of the Full Members, then any structure that could see them lose their positions isn't going to go anywhere - but it's always worth floating the ideas in a "what if?" kind of way. :)
Zimbabwe wil resume test cricket sometime in 2008, that is pretty much as definate as you can get. To be honest our recent results havnt been that bad, and even if we have lost, it hansnt been by a country mile like in previous years. What people need to understand is that for world cricket to develop its important to have weaker sides, otherwise cricket will become stagnant.
That's why comments like Tony Cozier's recent sniping annoy me greatly (and not just because my "other" side, Ireland, are one of the sides he's picking on). Cricket has delusions of being a "global" game, but when only 10 nations play it to the top level, you're not global, no matter how popular it may be within those 10 countries. Cricket needs to expand and grow, but the way the game is structured at the moment there's a "glass ceiling" for the weaker sides - moving from Associate to Full Member - that's dependent on the good graces of the existing Full Members. That's not a fair way of doing it.
The ICC need weaker sides like zimbabwe and bangladesh to play test cricket to promote the sport and inspire smaller cricketing countries that aything is possible. Zimbabwe could be used as a perfect example, a mass exodus of their top players yet pure passion and dedication to the game by youngsters have brought the side back frm the dead and on the brink of test cricket once again.

If that isnt enough to inspire a country to move their cricket forward im not quite sure what is.
Indeed. :)

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brmtaylor.com admin
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Re: test cricket

Post by brmtaylor.com admin »

I usually agree with most of your ideas, but a division system in Test cricket threatens the integrity of the game.

Teams only reach Test status after they've earned it. Zimbabwe earned it in 1992 after 50 years playing top notch First Class cricket in the Currie Cup, followed by a stint of hosting dozens of touring teams after independence. They were ready.

Bangladesh I feel were rushed through a bit. I don't know a lot about the history of cricket in Bangladesh, but the population is well and truly cricket mad. In the days of East Pakistan, Dhaka (or Dacca it was then) even held the occasional Test match.

For a country of Bangladesh's size, it was worthwhile to give them Test status in 2000. They had had good performances in prior World Cups, they seemed to be alright at the top level, and they had been given full ODI status for a few years. Only now, 7 years later, are they starting to get better, but maybe that's just how long it needed to take to develop their cricket infrastructure. I don't think Bangladesh had more resources at its disposal in 2000 than Zimbabwe pre-1992.

Once a country gets its Test status, it should keep it forever. There is something exclusive about having Test status - you can only play 5 day matches against the top teams. It should stay that way.

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