Graeme Smith, Clive Lloyd raise concerns over two-tier Test cricket system

Former South Africa captain Graeme Smith and West Indies World Cup-winning skipper Clive Lloyd voiced strong concerns about the proposed two-tier system in Test cricket, sparking a debate on the future of the format.

Smith questioned the idea of a system where only the top nations compete, highlighting the need for other countries like South Africa, the West Indies, and Sri Lanka to remain competitive for the overall health of world cricket. 

He pointed out the growing dominance of teams like England, India, and Australia, noting that their frequent matchups make it increasingly difficult for other nations to maintain relevance in the sport.

“Can you see a world where there are only three nations playing cricket in the future?” Smith questioned.

“I was just looking at a note this morning about how much England and India are playing each other over the next period, and Australia and vice versa. It gets extremely hard for the other nations… India is probably the best because they are commercially so reliable for the other nations,” he added.

He questioned how a structure could be created to satisfy the top three nations while also ensuring the strength of teams like South Africa, the West Indies, and Sri Lanka.

“But where do you find the top three nations playing each other all the time? And you can only imagine in the next FTP cycle how that’s been tied up in the background,” he said.

“How does the ICC create a structure that’s fair in the top three’s eyes? I think what world cricket needs is for South Africa to be strong, the West Indies to be strong, and Sri Lanka to get better. Otherwise,” he added.

He emphasised that if these nations remain strong, it could elevate the entire cricketing ecosystem, especially with South Africa's recent success in the World Test Championship (WTC). 

He acknowledged that South Africa's solid win percentages in recent years demonstrate their competitiveness but also stressed the importance of keeping other nations in the fold.

“We (South Africa) are in the World Test Championship (WTC) final; we’ve got a chance to win the mace. I think that’s the key,” he said. “You’ve got to do what you’ve got to do, and South Africa has done that. I think over the last couple of years, their win percentages are pretty decent if you look over a period of time,” he added.

Meanwhile, Clive Lloyd criticised the potential two-tier system, calling it unfair to countries that have worked hard to attain Test match status. 

He expressed concern that such a system would force lower-tier nations into playing amongst themselves, limiting their opportunities for growth and exposure on the global stage.

“I think it will be terrible for all those countries who work so hard to get to Test match status, and now they’ll be playing among themselves in the lower section,” Lloyd said.