ICC Test Championship in jeopardy

The International Cricket Council discussed the future of its ten-year Test championship programme, which has failed to take off due to reservations from some member countries and abandoning of a couple of tours.

At its Executive Board meeting in London, the ICC deliberated at length on ways to salvage the championship, which has run into trouble after its inception last year, sources said.

The programme was to be formalised by Wednesday, but India and Pakistan, who haven't played each other for a couple of years due to political problems, refused to sign. Other countries including England and West Indies have also expressed major reservations against the concept and have not signed so far.

The Test championship envisaged the ten Test-playing countries facing each other at least twice, once each at home and abroad, and points were to be awarded for every series win. The team with maximum points at the end of a year was to be declared the championship winners.

However, Australia pulled out of a series against Zimbabwe because of security fears in that African nation last year while New Zealand abandoned their tour of Pakistan earlier this year following a bomb blast in Karachi.

The sources said the Executive Board also discussed the ICC's financial matters.

Mail Cricket Editor