Image courtesy of: The Times
The Champions Trophy was Gower’s “favourite 50-over competition”
Former England captain David Gower has called on the International Cricket Council (ICC) not to abandon the Champions Trophy as he remains unconvinced “by the plans for a World Test Championship”.
India won the last ever Champions Trophy after defeating hosts England by five runs in a nail-biting final.
However, the ICC are pressing ahead with the World Test Championship as they would like to have a major tournament for all three formats of the game.
While the ICC’s move to implement a Test Championship has been applauded by many, Gower believes sacrificing the Champions Trophy will prove to be a big mistake on their behalf.
“Whatever the result today, I will be sorry to see the Champions Trophy disappear,” Gower wrote in his Sunday Times column. “It has become my favourite 50-over competition because it is succinct, high intensity and not nearly as drawn out as the official showpiece, the World Cup.
“If we were in the middle of a World Cup now, we would not be contemplating the final but looking at an eternal stretch of early group matches still to be played. Of course, we need to have both and I sympathise with the World Cup’s desire to give the nations outside the top eight something important and worthwhile to aim at.”
Gower was also sceptical about whether the Test Championship will work.
“I am not convinced by the plans for a World Test Championship, which is scheduled to replace the Champions Trophy,” he added. “I have no problem with a Test league table and a structure that adds relevance to each and every Test and each and every series but I would prefer to leave it at that.
“I don’t see a system of semi-finals and final working to decide the Test championship. It grates as far as I am concerned and leaves the result in the hands of too many variables, with possibly home advantages, pitches and the weather all factors. The ICC still has time to consider its plans…I may be out of sync with general opinion around the world on this but, then again, there may be many out there who are also sceptical that a one-off Test is the right way to decide a championship, in which case they should make themselves heard before it is indeed too late.”