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Claims of 'greed' as cricket figures divided by plans for major Test shake

Will the ICC speak out about this? Former Australian captain Mark Taylor“So in a way, South Africa have been the winner of one side of the draw and Australia have been the winner of the other side of the draw. Advertisement West Indies great Michael Holding“I don’t like it. I don’t think it’s good for […]

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4 months ago

January 9, 2025

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Claims of 'greed' as cricket figures divided by plans for major Test shake

Will the ICC speak out about this? Former Australian captain Mark Taylor“So in a way, South Africa have been the winner of one side of the draw and Australia have been the winner of the other side of the draw.

West Indies great Michael Holding“I don’t like it. I don’t think it’s good for the game,” Finn told BBC.”If you can keep five, six or seven nations strong and competitive people will always watch Test cricket.

Former England bowler Steve Harmison

“How many Test matches have we played against Bangladesh in the last six years? … I can’t recall when we last played Zimbabwe … It [introducing a two-tier system] is almost formalising what’s happening now.”READ MORE: Inside Kyrgios’ ‘ridiculous’ war with world No.1

“If this is the best (idea) on the table, I don’t think this is a great one largely down to promotion and relegation, how do you get to that point? Is it the teams with the most money that can bring in the biggest revenue? Do they get into the top seven?””I think it will be terrible for all those countries who worked so hard to get the Test status,” he’s been quoted as saying.Former England captain Michael Vaughan“Now they’ll be playing among themselves in the lower section. How are they going to make it to the top when you play against better teams.””I think Test cricket needs to be revamped (but) I don’t like this model,” he said on talkSPORT Cricket.

“I have no doubt that there will be people disappointed to hear that West Indies or Bangladesh, perhaps even some other well-loved teams, would miss out on the top flight,” he continued. Kevin Pietersen (left) and Steve Harmison in 2008 during a nets session.

Kevin Pietersen (left) and Steve Harmison in 2008 during a nets session.

Speaking on the Sky Sports Cricket podcast with Nasser Hussain and Michael Atherton, Smith wanted to see more detail before offering a strong opinion but offered his thoughts on the current state of the game and the scheduling issues.”I don’t think Test cricket is more than a six or seven format anyway,” he said.”Do they need to start doing it? Do they start messing with the Test calendar? Those are the interesting debates, because the (men’s) calendar’s a mess but I think a bit more information needs to be bashed out. The problem is everyone’s going to fight for themselves going forward, outside England, India and Australia, everyone is under pressure.”

“What they need to do is put some adults in a room and try and thrash something out to make a World Test Championship system fairer to make sure that the best teams play against the best players more often than not but to still have the chance of developing Test match cricket around the world to make it more appealing to players … to play more red-ball cricket,” he said.

“That’s something that’s been discussed for a number of years, that very topic, and I’m certainly not against it,” he told Wide World of Sports.What have they all said?”It’s an interesting point for the women’s game now. I think the women’s game is probably structured the best out of everything. They’ve got their windows for their leagues, white ball cricket’s structured, bilaterals is structured and we’re seeing the need for more Test cricket there.”I’m sure it wasn’t planned that way, but in a way that’s what’s happened … If that’s the way it’s going to be, I’m for the idea, provided all the larger Test nations do the most they can to continue to develop the lesser financially backed nations.”Maybe that is what they want.”I would live to see people responsible for the game being truly responsible for the game, and not being just responsible for a few countries to better themselves.””Yes England and Australia are blessed with a cricketing culture but if a good team comes to South Africa we see good crowds, we see good interest in Test cricket so I think that’s an opportunity.South African cricket great turned SA20 commissioner Graeme Smith“The ICC is the problem. They should distribute the money that they are making very differently so poorer teams have a chance.Many are divided.

“I have seen this coming for a long, long time,” he wrote in the UK’s Telegraph.

These are questions that need to be answered and plenty of respected voices have discussed the potential new system at length.”The bottom division will get poorer and teams will disappear.Former England bowler Steven Finn“In a way that’s almost what we’ve got now. If you look at the World Test Championship [WTC] final you’ve got Australia taking on South Africa, and the way they’ve got there is by Australia winning this battle against India and England, and South Africa have won the battle against a lot of the other nations.”I have been saying for a long time this is the way to keep Test cricket relevant by ensuring the best play the best as often as possible, and we get fewer mismatches.”How will this impact the struggling Test nations?West Indies cricket legend Clive Lloyd“They have provided some great moments but more often than not, they struggle against the top teams and without radical change, sadly the sums don’t add up.””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.”

“… If there is no promotion and relegation, the top division will just keep on making all the money.

READ MORE: Skipper lifts lid on impact of brutal Tigers punishmentsHarmison argued that right now England could be close to being in a relegation spot, adding “they’re not going to relegate England”.”… if we go down the road in five to 10 years time where there’s only six Test playing nations, Test cricket’s finished. We need a whole spectrum of cricket around the globe to play red-ball cricket.”

With news of a potential two-tier Test cricket system breaking after the Border-Gavaskar Trophy ended, debate has raged across the world.

READ MORE: Opetaia defends world titles with ruthless display“I was delighted to read the ICC are considering a two-tier structure from 2027 which could see the Ashes staged twice every three years,” he wrote in his Telegraph column. Michael Vaughan.

What about the little guy? Will it just lead to more domination from the big three of Australia, England and India?

Michael Holding. Getty

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Amer Sports' SVP Sustainability, Anne Larilahti, joins WFSGI Board

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We are proud to share that Anne Larilahti, Senior Vice President, Sustainability at Amer Sports, has been appointed to the Board of Directors of the World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry (WFSGI).

Anne has led sustainability efforts at Amer Sports since 2022. As a board member, she will share her experience and help shape the direction of the sporting goods industry on key issues such as physical inactivity, sustainability, and responsible business. We talked with Anne about what this means for her, for Amer Sports, and for the future of the industry.

What is WFSGI, and why is it important for Amer Sports to be involved?

The WFSGI is a global organization that brings together companies and associations from across the sporting goods industry, from big brands to manufacturers and national federations. It’s a platform for joint action on the challenges and opportunities we all face, like promoting physical activity, advancing sustainability, and working on international trade issues facing the industry. For Amer Sports, being part of WFSGI means we can contribute to and learn from industry-wide solutions and bring our perspective into global conversations.

What will your role be as a board member?

I am honored to join the WFSGI Board as a representative of Amer Sports at this pivotal time for our industry. I will bring in perspectives from sustainability, especially on topics like decarbonization, circular business models, and inclusive access to sport. I’m also interested in how we as an industry can better connect with public health and policy stakeholders to encourage more active lifestyles.

Physical inactivity is one of WFSGI’s key focus areas. Why does that matter?

It’s a huge global issue. According to the World Health Organization, 31% of adults worldwide—that is 1.8 billion people—don’t get enough physical activity. That’s not just a statistic—it’s a global public health crisis. Physical inactivity is linked to chronic diseases, mental health challenges, and reduced quality of life. As an industry, we have both the responsibility and the opportunity to help reverse that trend. We can create more inclusive products, support community sports, and work together to remove the barriers that keep people from moving.

What are you most excited about in this role?

At Amer Sports we believe that sport has the power to drive positive change by improving health, strengthening communities, and inspiring more sustainable ways of living. I’m excited to work together to turn that potential into action with others who are passionate about the same goals. It’s a valuable opportunity for us to learn from global peers, contribute to industry-wide progress, and share how our brands are working to make sport more inclusive and sustainable.

We congratulate Anne on her appointment and look forward to the impact she will help deliver in this new role.