The ICC can’t afford to be a spectator in the upper echelons of Test cricket. Its responsibilities as the game’s global governing body – not its events promoter or gatekeeper – call for more.
That ethos is reflected in the structure of its World Test Championship, which begins its third cycle this week when current holders Australia take on South Africa at Lord’s. It will be the first time the iconic London venue has hosted the showpiece final after commercial and logistical snags caused it to miss out in 2021 and again when the final was played at the biosecure Rose Bowl in Southampton last June.
In its current incarnation, WTC is run over two years with 67 matches in a cycle culminating in the final for the coveted mace. Each win is worth 12 points, a draw is six and a loss earns zero. Teams are then ranked on the table according to their percentage of the points won to the total points contested.
It’s a system that has been criticised, notably by India, as it puts its big three rivals at a distinct advantage. Despite India missing out on the opportunity to host a final in 2023, the ICC’s decision to keep the fixture in England for the next three cycles appears likely to be ratified at the governing body’s annual conference next month. There are a number of factors that contribute to England being the favoured venue, including good infrastructure and strong crowds as well as an early summer in contrast to the winter or monsoon seasons that are typically experienced in other cricketing nations.