Proteas Test coach Shukri Conrad is hopeful that more fixtures can be arranged, but they are a loss-leader for Cricket SA and, without context, they may struggle to attract spectator and sponsor interest. In which case the Test Championship will fade to an inconsequence. India are clearly keen to win it but, should they do so in this year’s final against Australia at the Oval in June, they too may lose interest. England and Australia can barely see beyond their Ashes obsession and have only a passing interest in the concept. They simply don’t play enough fixtures.īut they can challenge for the World Test Championship, provided it still exists. The way the international Test calendar has been set up for the next four years it is going to be virtually impossible for any nation outside the big three to seriously challenge again for the top ranking. India have been top of the pile six times in those two decades, staying there for the longest period between 20 courtesy, largely, of their indomitable record at home. England had been the No 1 ranked team for 12 months before the Proteas beat them at home. It wasn’t until Graeme Smith’s great team of 2012 rose to the top that the hegemony of the big three was truly challenged.

In the past two decades of the International Cricket Council’s Test rankings only three teams from the “small seven” nations have dared to usurp the big three from the No 1 spot, and Pakistan managed it for just two months so their time at the top can be regarded as more of a visit than a stay.Īustralia stayed at No 1 for 74 months between 20 before SA signed the visitors book for three brief months.

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