By Eric Collymore | January 7, 2025
West Indies cricket legend Clive Lloyd has strongly criticized the proposed two-tier structure for Test cricket, claiming that the idea “deeply disturbs” him.
Lloyd, who led the West Indies to dominance in the 1970s and 1980s, is advocating for greater opportunities for struggling teams to compete against top-tier nations.
The two-tier system, which was first proposed in 2016, has faced significant opposition from various cricket boards, including those of India, Zimbabwe, and Bangladesh.
These boards argue that such a structure could reduce revenue and deny smaller nations the chance to play against cricketing powerhouses.
If the proposal is approved, top teams like England, India, and Australia would play each other twice over a three-year period, as opposed to the current four-year format.
This change would likely reduce the number of games between the top teams and the lower-tier nations.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) Chairman Jay Shah is scheduled to meet with Cricket Australia head Mike Baird, England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chief Richard Thompson, and representatives from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) later this month to clarify the specifics of the proposal.
Lloyd, known for his leadership of the West Indies team, expressed concern that the two-tier system could further marginalize teams like the West Indies, which were once dominant in world cricket.
He acknowledged that larger cricketing nations may be better equipped to handle such changes but emphasized that a more inclusive system would benefit the game as a whole.
Clive Lloyd:
“India has a billion people, and they have the resources to cope with changes. But for smaller nations, this could be very harmful.”