working out the points system is interesting too.

@Terry Jones your idea of combining all formats of the game into an overall competition is extremely interesting. you would find the greatest cricket nation not just ODI, T20, Test etc nation. I think it will be difficult to get some countries to agree to playing 15 tests a year and so maybe series should be just 2 tests (=10 tests a year).

if we keep tests and the rest seperate i think a 3 points for win, 1 point for draw, 1 point for 1st innings (i like that idea terry) and a bonus point for victories by an innings or more (i think thats important). teams will quite conceivably finish on equal points in which case i can think of 3 ways to split them, 1) most points scored away (most simple), 2) ave runs per wicket lost or 3) a percentage (like AFL) of average per wicket for vs ave per wicket against (more complex but gives an indication of how much people won by and so is my preference).

great post anurag! a test match championship is the most desperately neede thing in word cricket. i agree with the two tiers of six idea, i think if you are having a one year system than only one team should get relegated, the loser playing home and away against winner of div 2.

i dont think you really need the neutral games though, if you are going to dispense with the concept of tours which is quite a plausible thing to do then you may as well dispense with it entirely. all teams to place each other once at home and once away seems fairer. so each team plays five tests in their home country in their prime season and five in other countries in off season. could mean some tricky scheduling but surely not impossible and definitely means lack of opportunity to adapt to in-country conditions but thats all part of the fun i reckon.

originally i thought a two year cycle of 3 match series, but i think you've convinced me on one year single test home and away model.

I agree with Anurag on 2 tiers of 6 teams, but disagree with single year competition. I think a 2 year competition of 6 teams, home & away, 10 series (3 tests, 2 ODI, 2 T20 per series), where points are awarded: Tests win 4pts, draw 2 pts, 1st Inn's lead 1pt, ODI win 2 pts, tie 1 pt, T20 win 1/2 pt. Max 20 pts per series ... Max 200 pts for competition.

Team could play in 3 blocks of 3-4 series over 4-5 month period with time off (9-12 months) in between blocks for ODI World Cup, T20 World Cup, Test/ODI/T20 Friendlies, IPL, etc.

At end of every 2 years: * 1st vs 2nd in World Championship Final. * 6th & 7th swop. 5th vs 8th for promotion/demotion. * 12th & Intercontential Cup (IC) winner swop. 11th vs IC runner-up for promotion/demotion.

I also want to see IC expanded to be 8 teams per tier(8 matches each) where ANY country thats not test/IC already can join at the lowest tier(s).

This would mean potentially 11 tiers of IC and 2 tiers of Test Cricket.

Thanks guys for your comments! @redneck - Yes I understand your point of view, but in Australia the major test series of the summer always has 3-4 test matches. The second series is always against the lesser opponent as is generally in Darwin or Cairns. With my format you get high quality tests every year and could potentially get to play England, India, SA almost every year.

Faisal - Agreed about your concerns but the subcontinent is obssesed with the 'World Cup'. Once more is at stake maybe the interest will increase. However day night tests should be tried and I'm sure they'll be popular.

Anurag, you describe above very good suggestions but i think test cricket is not gonna die becaz their is no World Test championship but actually its gona die becaz people's lack of interest, right now 3 test series are going on except England remaing two series in West indies and Sri lanka are big model of that, these two series are interesting and resultfull but grounds are empty, exception is England and Australia i think who in the world has time to watch 5 days of cricket and also in day time. i think right now we must need three big changes in Test cricket if we want to save Test matches 1). 5 days test should be reduced to 4 days 2). Start day/night test matches 3). Reduce the quantity of matches no more then 3 test in a series and no more then 9 test in year for one team. these are the impertive changes we need right now if we want test matches going on.

No comments from anyone?!

The idea of the two tiered test cricket system has been bandied around for some time now believe. From the point of view of a West Indian and a person who has seen one of the greatest test playing "countries" reduced to a mockery that is at this writing about to lose 2-0 to Bangladesh, I think that the two tiered system will give teams an incentive to play better and aim to either rise to the top of their group or move into the "better" group.

Anurag, whatever you describe above is a wonderful work and suggestion but i think its not gonna improve intrest of people to watch test cricket, why recently 2 test series are going on, one in West indies and one in sri lanka. These two series are very interesting resultful but grounds are almost empty without people and i think empty grounds situation is in every Test playing nation except England and Australia, So the reason is who in the world has time to watch 5 days of cricket continiously, that is the main reason with others. I think right now we need three big changes in test cricket to improve spectators in ground. (1) 5 day test should be reduced to 4 days (2)Day/Night tests (3) No more than 3 tests in one series and reduce the quantity of test cricket. We need these three important and impertive changes right now in test cricket i think that will improve test spectators in ground and on TV.

mate first off i can see youve put some thought into this so well done on that, and also done in a totally neutral, unbiased way. however in places like england and australia there is still quite a demand for test matches. by only giveing 3 home tests to a team like australia would mean a test for the mcg, scg, and one between either of the waca, gabba, or adelaide oval. not enough supply for the demand someone with a economics background might say. this situation would be even worse in england and india which have a lot more international venues. but the icc needs people like you thinking how to improve the game because quite clearly they dont have a clue! i personly believe hold a wtc every 4 years, only 1 division of all 9 teams, 1 test home and 1 test away against each = 16 tests for each team and with 8 home tests each there is enough supply for each board to take the game right round their respective nation. holding neutral tests(apart from pakistan)wont help test crickets cause!