ICC ‘considering divisions for Test cricket’

The ICC is reportedly considering proposals for a league-style system as part of a major shakeup of Test cricket.

Under the plans, seven nations would be placed into the top division and five into the second, with relegation and promotion between the two divisions being decided every two years.

According to a report in The Guardian, all teams would play each other either home or away over the two-year period, with the top team in division one winning the Test championship and the bottom team being relegated to the second tier.

The fixtures would be scheduled so that they consume around five months of each year, meaning that other Test matches such as The Ashes could continue to be scheduled alongside the divisional matches.

The idea is likely to be proposed at the ICC’s conference in June and if approved, the new system could come into place as soon as 2019.