Ireland coach seeking split in Test game

Cricket Ireland yesterday announced a series of wide-ranging measures aimed at realising their goal of becoming the 11th Test country – and the first new one since Bangladesh 12 years ago – by 2020.

Key to Ireland’s bid is the plan to introduce a first-class domestic system for the first time, while they also revealed extensive grassroots initiatives and a commitment to providing 23 central playing contracts.

They would nevertheless require significant support from the existing ten full-member nations in the International Cricket Council, something that cannot be considered a certainty in the highly political world game.

Former West Indies star Simmons, who joined Ireland as coach in 2007 and has agreed a new deal until the end of next year, believes the Test format must expand and welcome associate nations.

One way that could be achieved would be to split the highest ranked Test sides from the lower ones, increasingly competitiveness along the way.

“We don’t know what is going to happen in the next few years where Test cricket is concerned, but all of us believe this goal is a possibility,” Simmons said.

“It’s not for us to second guess things, but I think something like a two-tier system would be great. It is our job to prepare and if it comes to be ready for it.

“You could have the top six Test teams and then the bottom four as well as one or two of us [associates] all playing.

“I think we owe it to cricket to keep expanding because, if we keep it as such a small group, then it will die.”