Atherton Stresses Promotion and Relegation in Two-Tier Test System Debate
Former England captain Michael Atherton has shared his views on the ongoing debate surrounding a potential two-tier system in Test cricket.
New Delhi: Former England captain Michael Atherton has shared his views on the ongoing debate surrounding a potential two-tier system in Test cricket. He emphasized that any proposed structure should allow movement between the tiers to prevent the establishment of an “entrenched elite.”
Discussions about implementing a two-tier Test system have been ongoing, with England and Wales Cricket Board chief Richard Thompson and BCCI representatives scheduled to meet ICC Chairman Jay Shah later this month to discuss the possibility of the system starting in 2027.
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The Proposed Two-Tier Test System
If implemented, the two-tier system would allow Australia, England, and India to avoid playing Test series against many other nations. Instead, they would have the opportunity to play each other twice within every three years, instead of the current four-year interval.
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Atherton, however, expressed concerns about the implications of such a system. He argued that while divisions could work, it is crucial to ensure that the bottom tier has a chance to move up to the top tier, preventing a permanent “entrenched elite.”
“Tiers and divisions are two different things,” Atherton said on the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast. “Divisions imply, to me at least, a chance of promotion and relegation. I’d be fine with that. But I’d be anti-tiers where there is no chance for the bottom tier to get into the top tier, and it becomes an entrenched elite.”
The History of the Two-Tier Proposal
The idea of a two-tier system was first proposed during an ICC Board meeting in 2016, where it was suggested that seven nations would compete in the first division, while the remaining five countries would compete in the second division.
Graeme Smith’s Take on Test Cricket’s Future
Former South African captain Graeme Smith shared his perspective on the future of Test cricket, stating that the format will likely remain dominated by six or seven nations. “Test cricket, for me, is never going to be more than a six or seven-nation format,” Smith said. He emphasized that Test cricket should focus on strengthening these core nations, with the hope of seeing better crowds and continued interest in the format.
“World cricket needs South Africa strong, needs West Indies strong, needs Sri Lanka to get better,” Smith added.
