Test Status Should Depend On Merit

In what appeared to be a compromise deal, Zimbabwe have voluntarily decided to relinquish their Test match status, but will be allowed to contine to play One Day Internationals.

For years a debate has raged over whether teams should tour Zimbabwe. Arguments against have cited the human rights abuses of Mugabe's regime, this has been countered by those who rather naively assert that politics and sport shouldn't mix. However, in the end this debate was by-passed. Zimbabwe have lost their Test status because they were not good enough to maintain it.

The decision to award Test match status to nations has always been a subjective one. This needs to be rectified. Every four years the nation at the bottom of the Test rankings should play a series against the top ranked ICC Trophy team, the winner to awared Test match status.

Currently Test status depends on a nation's ability to make deals with ICC reps in smoke-filled rooms. These matters should be decided purely on cricketing merit.