Here's why the ECB is against two-tier Test cricket system proposed by ICC

The ECB's biggest worry with a two-division Test structure is the potential threat it poses to England's most high-profile bilateral series

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The idea of restructuring Test cricket into a two-tier system is on the table, but the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) isn’t convinced. As the ICC looks for ways to revamp the World Test Championship (WTC) ahead of its next cycle starting in July 2027, England has raised serious concerns.  The fear of relegation and its impact on key rivalries, revenue and the global Test narrative has put the ECB at odds with the idea. The two-tier concept, though not new, has gained fresh momentum after being discussed at the recent ICC annual conference in July. Now, with a working group led by former New Zealand batter Roger Twose examining WTC reforms, the pressure is on to find consensus. But the England board is not ready to sacrifice tradition and financial sense for experimentation. But why exactly is the ECB opposing the idea of a two-tier cricket system? Take a look. 

 

England wary of losing marquee rivalries

The ECB’s biggest worry with a two-division Test structure is that if they get relegated to the second tier, they might miss out on playing marquee bilateral series, particularly against India and Australia. ECB Chairman Richard Thompson expressed that a dip in form could see England relegated to a lower division, preventing them from facing their two biggest commercial draws.

 

He said England could face a "fallow period" and, in such a case, being demoted would mean no longer playing regular series against the likes of Australia or India — something he feels would be unacceptable. According to Thompson, these rivalries are "far too valuable" to be disrupted by a rigid tier system.

Why England fears second-tier relegation

While the idea of England getting relegated to the second tier if the two-tier system is introduced looks far-fetched, it is not impossible to imagine such a scenario — especially given their form in the last two WTC cycles.

 

The first-ever WTC cycle of 2019–21 was the only cycle where England were serious contenders for a spot in the final. They finished second on the points table on the basis of points earned, but missed out on playing the final after the ICC declared that finalists would be decided on the basis of points percentage instead of points earned, giving the final spots to India and New Zealand. England finished fourth.

 

In the second WTC cycle from 2021 to 2023, England once again finished at the number four spot behind Australia, India and South Africa, despite playing more matches than them. However, with just 46.97 percentage points, they were not even close to being considered contenders for the final.

 

Moreover, in the last completed WTC cycle — that is, WTC 2023–25 — England slipped one position down from the last two cycles and this time finished in fifth spot with just 43.18 percentage points. All these performances came when England were considered a tough team to beat due to their Bazball cricket, which means the ECB chief’s concern that England might face relegation if things go south is derived from realism, not pessimism.

WTC still has room for improvement

While Thompson acknowledged that the World Test Championship has added relevance to the Test format, he believes there’s more work to be done. He pointed to South Africa’s recent title win in the 2023–25 cycle as proof that underdog victories are possible with the right structure in place.

 

He also recalled how former cricketers like Graeme Smith were visibly emotional after South Africa’s triumph, showing how meaningful success in the WTC could be for teams not traditionally considered powerhouses. For Thompson, refining the existing format would be a better path forward than a divisive tier system.

Scheduling, Olympics and Test cricket’s future

Thompson also warned that the global cricket calendar is already strained by the proliferation of T20 leagues and upcoming challenges like the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

 

He raised the scenario of England's top players needing to leave mid-season for the Olympics, questioning how the current and proposed schedules would handle such conflicts. “Common sense,” he said, should guide decisions, particularly with an eye on balancing red-ball and white-ball commitments while ensuring international cricket remains commercially and competitively viable. 

New system gets support from Australia

The two-tier system has long divided the ICC’s Full Members. Some fear losing out on ICC revenue if relegated; others worry about national pride. A few have rejected the model outright on principle. Although the ICC showed interest as far back as 2009, meaningful consensus has been elusive.

 

Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg took a balanced view, saying the big three — India, Australia and England — had a responsibility to help smaller cricketing nations become stronger in Tests. He noted that without proper support, countries like the West Indies, South Africa and New Zealand would struggle to compete at the highest level.

 

Greenberg maintained an open mind but stressed that any reform should genuinely uplift the global Test landscape. If the two-tier system fails to achieve that, he said, it wouldn’t earn his backing.