WTC v The Ashes

[Fuller Pilch]

I would keep the regular schedule and just take the Top 4 Test Nations over 4 years and have a winners/losers bracket tournament played in England over 2 months:

Round #1
1 vs. 4
2 vs. 3

Round #2
Winner of 1v4 vs. Winner of 2v3 (Winner goes onto final)
Loser of 1v4 vs. Loser of 2v3

Round #3 - Preliminary Final
Loser of winners bracket vs. Winner of losers bracket (Winner goes onto final)

Round #4 - Grand Final (Best of 3 Test Series)
Round 2 Winner vs. Round 3 Winner

8 Tests across 2 months. Both finalists will play around 5 Tests.

Drawn Test matches = higher seed advances/wins.

Important to move it around rather than always holding it in England though.

 

[OverratedSanity]

More like spot the realist as the performances in NZ were completely predictable

They lost the first test on literally the last ball on day 5 you utter buffoon.

 

[ataraxia]

More like spot the realist as the performances in NZ were completely predictable

Says the person who thought they'd win 2–0.

 

[social]

They lost the first test on literally the last ball on day 5 you utter buffoon.

Against the worst kiwi team in years who were handicapped by injuries during the game

Then they won the toss in the next game and sent them in & are being slaughtered

For a buffoon, I sure am right a lot

 

[social]

Says the person who thought they'd win 2–0.

SL?

They wouldn’t win a domestic cup unless their opponents were West Indies

 

[Sunil1z]

No. Of Test series won in England this century
SL=1
IND=1
AUS =1

No.of Test series drawn in England this century

SL=1
IND=1
AUS=1

 

[ataraxia]

SL?

They wouldn’t win a domestic cup unless their opponents were West Indies

WTC is totally irrelevant and basically practice for the Ashes

Sri Lanka was going to be our opponent until a few hours ago & they’re barely fc standard

...

 

[trundler]

Lmao SL is always teetering on the precipice of minnowhood until they rock up to a series England or NZ with no name fast bowlers and hold their own or win the Asia Cup for the millionth time. Can't wait until they knock out one of the big dogs in the World Cup this year.

 

[Burgey]

Lmao NZ is always teetering on the precipice of minnowhood until they rock up to a series England or NZ with no name fast bowlers and hold their own or win the Asia Cup for the millionth time. Can't wait until they knock out one of the big dogs in the World Cup this year.

I presume you’re talking about SL not NZ?

 

[Flem274*]

Lmao NZ is always teetering on the precipice of minnowhood until they rock up to a series England or NZ with no name fast bowlers and hold their own or win the Asia Cup for the millionth time. Can't wait until they knock out one of the big dogs in the World Cup this year.

NZ won a million Asia Cups? ****in Aramex lost our parcels clearly.

 

[trundler]

Haha no idea where that came from.

 

[ashley bach]

I reckon WTC should be every 3 years. 4 years is too long as teams may change dramatically and results aren't fresh. All of the 9 teams play each other (India v Pakistan somewhere neutral) in 3+ match series (4 home/away). Extra tests can be arranged including ones with Zim, Afg, and Ire.
Top qualifier goes straight to final. 2 plays 3. If it is a draw 2 goes to final.

3 match final series, and 3 match promotion- relegation between 9th team and winner of Zim, Afg, Ire before next cycle.

I would keep the regular schedule and just take the Top 4 Test Nations over 4 years and have a winners/losers bracket tournament played in England over 2 months:

Round #1
1 vs. 4
2 vs. 3

Round #2
Winner of 1v4 vs. Winner of 2v3 (Winner goes onto final)
Loser of 1v4 vs. Loser of 2v3

Round #3 - Preliminary Final
Loser of winners bracket vs. Winner of losers bracket (Winner goes onto final)

Round #4 - Grand Final (Best of 3 Test Series)
Round 2 Winner vs. Round 3 Winner

8 Tests across 2 months. Both finalists will play around 5 Tests.

Drawn Test matches = higher seed advances/wins.

This would all be fantastic but the real problem is squeezing it all in on the calendar.
It's better we got something than nothing, but clearly improvements need to be made to the WTC, because reality is that it's Walt Disney at it's best.

 

[ashley bach]

90% of Australians would prefer an Ashes victory. The other 10% don't really know much about cricket.