The World Test Championship (WTC) is a great step in the right direction to highlight the best of international cricket. It is coming under strong attack from Wisden editor Lawrence Booth. He takes aim at the present format, calling it a “shambles posing as a showpiece.” This casts a significant shadow on the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) credibility in organizing this big tournament.
The WTC operates on a two-year cycle, during which teams compete in six series, split evenly between home and away matches. Points are awarded based on match outcomes: 12 points for a win, 6 for a tie, and 4 for a draw. The championship table ranks teams according to the percentage of possible points earned. In doing so, this approach compounds inequalities, given that teams are scheduled to play varying amounts of Tests.
As Booth argues, the ICC needs to tackle this stuff now. He says the existing system is missing governance and accountability. It’s just not structured well. He goes on to blame the ICC for letting the WTC plod along as it is.
“Among the first items in Shah’s in-tray ought to be the World Test Championship, a shambles masquerading as a showpiece,” – Lawrence Booth.
We hope you’ll join us for the third edition of the WTC, happening from June 11-15. South Africa prepare for a titanic tussle with Australia at Lord’s, a fitting finale to a remarkable tournament. Almost as the tournament is approaching its culmination, Booth notes that radical reforms are in order.
He is a fierce proponent of making the WTC cycle longer – four years instead of two. This move would bring it much more in line with other big sporting tournaments in football and rugby. In his opinion, this extension would make the integrity and transparency of the competition much stronger.
“The ICC cannot allow the championship to continue as if designed on the back of a fag packet. Double its length to four years, like football and rugby, and ensure the top nine in the rankings all play each other, home and away, over series of at least three Tests.” – Lawrence Booth.
Booth doesn’t just give a behind-the-scenes look into the WTC’s management though. What I’m getting out of this is that there is a groundswell, a growing mood of discontent with the governance of cricket. His comments suggest that many within the sport believe it is failing to uphold standards expected by fans and players alike.
“The communal shrug [that met Shah’s appointment] confirmed a sorry truth: 2024 was the year cricket gave up any claim to being properly administered, with checks, balances, and governance for the many, not the few,” – Lawrence Booth.
With the last few matches approaching, everyone involved in the cricketing ecosystem is watching very intently. First, they would like to know what will be done in light of their criticisms. The future of the WTC rests on the ICC’s capacity to address these issues directly. It could be everything though, if the ICC can start rebuilding faith in its governance.
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