The unnecessary complexity of the World Test Championship

Have you booked your tickets for the World Test Championship yet? Did you even know it’s on? What seemed like a pretty good idea has become mired in the mind-numbing complexity of the scoring. Currently England, who you might think of as quite a good Test-playing nation, are languishing in sixth place, not least because the Bazball bludgers have lost three of their last five matches. England lie just above Bangladesh, who have won only one of their last five. Ben Stokes seemingly hates the competition because his team are penalised for slow over rates, though he would change his tune if England had a chance of winning it.

What seemed like a pretty good idea has become mired in the mind-numbing complexity of the scoring

As it is, the championship has thrown up what could be a terrific final. South Africa, who have played a lot of Test cricket despite appearances to the contrary and have won their last five games, are top and Australia close behind. Quite an achievement for the Rainbow Nation, already rugby world champions of course. I fear for the game itself, though, which kicks off on 11 June at Lord’s. An agree-able summer’s day at HQ, where sadly the fragile SA batting might get blown away by the bloody Aussie quicks. Let’s hope not.

Meanwhile there has been some considerable media flurry arguing that cricket should be exercising its soft power to try to bring about change in Afghanistan. Well, I wouldn’t hold out much hope: that benighted country has remained stubbornly resistant to change throughout the many heavy-metal intrusions by the West. It’s hard to see there being much change just because the Taliban won’t get a chance to see Jacob Bethell in action against the Afghan bowlers in their Champions Trophy game in Lahore on 26 February.