What's the point?

Would the ICC's plans for a world Test championship excite cricket fans? Bumble doesn't think so...

Bumble blogs on Denley, South Africa and Athers impersonators

Do we really need a world Test championship to tell us who the best teams in the world are? I think most people already know; it's South Africa, India and Australia with Sri Lanka not too far away. That's pretty simple. A championship would just be about bragging rights. Is there going to be a trophy and a presentation for the top team at the end of it all? I don't think that's what Test cricket is about. In my view, Test matches are about individual five-day periods where one team comes up against another. You get a cat-and-mouse battle for that period and a fight to win or maybe a backs-to-the-wall battle to come away with a draw. The ICC are talking about setting up some sort of competition with each team earning points for a win or a draw, but is that really going to get spectators up for it? I personally don't think it would. If you're going to do this you have to capture the imagination of the public and the players, but I feel the spectators are more interested in the one-off series that we already see. Whenever we have a one-off Twenty20 match against another nation, the grounds are packed. They're not bothered about who's top of the league or whatever, they just want to come and see the teams do battle. We already have World Cups for Twenty20 and 50-over cricket. Maybe the ICC are trying to give some more prominence to the longer format of the game, but I just don't think it would work. And I'll reiterate the point that if it's not sexy for spectators, then what's the point?

Way to Joe

We had a lovely day at Durham, still one of the very best grounds. They really deserve a meaningful Test match or one-day international in the middle of summer. Joe Denley looked like a really good player and if he's given a good run in the team he could make himself into a Test player. They won't be picking the next Test team until after the Champions Trophy and I think it would be good for him to be named. He was a shining light after a long, long one-day series. Australia had already done their business before last weekend and were thinking about the Champions Trophy. Quite ridiculously some of the Australian fans were saying the one-day series shows they were the best Ashes side. I'm not sure where they're talking from, but I don't think it's their mouths...

Quieten down

The result of the Champions Trophy opener was a great surprise. Sri Lanka gave South Africa a right pasting and the hosts are in real danger of going out if they slip up again. Before the match AB de Villiers was making a lot of noise about how this was "their time". The South Africans always seem to start thumping a drum, it's something we've seen from them too often in the past. Maybe they should keep quiet and just get on with things. They are desperate to get rid of that "chokers" tag - and I do think they are a fabulous team - but they need to go out and prove it on the pitch.

What a Twit

Beware! There's an Atherton imposter on Twitter. Somebody is claiming to be Michael Atherton, even talking about his wife, but I've checked with the man himself and it's not him. Athers couldn't care less to be honest, but let me assure you that BumbleCricket is the real deal. I was pleased to see Lindsay Ormerod on this blog last week suggesting I should be batting higher up the order for Accrington. Quite right Lindsay, perhaps you should mention that to the captain. He is your brother after all. If I don't get moved up I might have to move clubs, which brings me onto this week's questions...

Bumble answers your questions...

Send your questions to Bumble by filling in the feedback form below. Or you can mail them in by e-mailing skysportsclub@bskyb.com ALL ABOUT THE MONEY?
Bumble, what's the point in counties bringing up home grown talent if they're just snatched by a different club? We've seen it on so many different occasions. Also, players need to stop chopping and changing between counties, it's starting to look a lot like football, and one of the best things about cricket is that there aren't any £20million transfers going on. It was a lot better when players played for their own counties, they were more passionate, rather than playing for their contract. Sam G BUMBLE SAYS: You can't blame the players. The bottom line is that somebody else is offering them more money, it's no different to an engineer moving to another company for a higher wage. The debate here should be about the way money is distributed in cricket. The counties get their money from the Test team and personally I don't think they should get a penny. I would give all the money to the boards who can distribute the money in the localities, leaving the county clubs to stand on their own two feet rather than on a handout. They could go to the boards for money, but it would have to be accountable and would need to be for the good of the game in the area. There are two players from Worcester, Gareth Batty and Steven Davies, who are rumoured to be moving for massive money, but you mustn't blame them, blame the system. ONE-DAY WOE
Hello David. Why don't the cricket selectors pick the Test side for the 50-over internationals? I could never understand why some second division players, no names, were chosen ahead of Test players. Best wishes Rod. BUMBLE SAYS: The argument was that if Test players can't play one-day internationals, why don't we play specialists? We have done that against Australia and it hasn't worked, but I don't think picking the Test team would work either. We're all over the place in one-day cricket and the coach, captain and players accept that. The selection process is of no bearing; the bottom line is that we're simply not good enough. Our system simply isn't developing good enough players.

Bumble's jukebox

Quite a few of you spotted Sleep Will Come by the Durutti Column last week so well done. See if you can spot what I've been listening to this week from the following lyrics... "Don't you wonder how you keep on moving one more day?" Answer next week...