In an effort to reduce the number of draws in Test matches, the new championship points system will make winning much more attractive.
A maximum of 120 points will be up for grabs in each series of the World Test Championship (WTC), which is due to begin after the 2019 World Cup.
A draw will be worth just one-third of that for a win. A series tie will fetch each team half the points reserved for victory.
The points system has been the subject of much discussion between members as they finalise details of the WTC, in particular over whether points should be awarded for series wins or match wins.
Not all sides play the same number of Tests in a two-year WTC cycle, nor an equal number of home and away Tests. The plan is to offer a maximum of 720 points – 120 points for six series in a cycle, three at home, three away – for all nine sides.
This system was presented at the ICC’s annual conference in Dublin over the weekend where the chief executive committee went through the recommendations made by the ICC’s cricket committee.
The key element in creating an effective points system was pushing for wins, so that winning a two-Test series 2-0 will bring greater reward than winning it 1-0. Points at stake for every match would ideally negate the idea of teams playing for a draw, and also add value to ‘dead rubbers’.
In a five-Test series such as the Ashes, each Test would be worth 24 points (120/5). If a team wins it 5-0, it will win 120 points. If the result is 3-2, the winning team will get 72 points and the losing side 48 points. If a team wins it 3-0 (with two drawn), the winning side gets 88 points (24 x 3 for the wins plus 8 x 2 for the draw) and the losing side 16 (8 x 2 for the draws).
In a two-Test series, each Test is worth 60 points. If a team wins the series 1-0, it will get 80 points, while the losing side receives 20 points.
In a three-Test series, each Test is worth 40 points. A team winning 2-0 will receive 93.3 points (40 x 2 plus 13.3 for the draw) while the losing side will receive 13.3 points. A series drawn 1-1 will mean both sides get 53.3 points each (40 for the win +13.3 for the draw).
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