ECB boss fears two-division Test system risks financial health of cricket
England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) Chief Executive Richard Gould has delivered a stark warning against proposals to introduce a two-division system in Test cricket, suggesting the move could severely damage the sport’s financial health and global appeal.
Speaking on the Final Word Cricket podcast, Gould said cricket in England would “take a big backwards step” if it found itself relegated to a second division.
“If you make a move to two divisions, we can’t sit here and arrogantly say ‘well, we can never get relegated’,” Gould said. “But if you did have any of England, India or Australia playing in the second division, and therefore potentially the ICC saying ‘you can’t play against each other because you’re not in the same division’ — that would have a huge impact on the financial viability on cricket in all three of those countries.”
Financial risk and competitive integrity at stake
Gould emphasized the broader ramifications of the two-division concept, pointing to the potential loss of marquee matchups that drive fan interest and commercial revenue.
“We have to make sure that the best are playing the best,” he stressed. “Everybody gets the opportunity to play Test matches, yes, but we have to make sure we avoid mismatches, I am not saying that Bangladesh would be a mismatch.”
He continued, “It’s not just a case of tick-box exercise, we need to make sure we’re thinking strategically about what cricket we play, when we play it, who we play it against.”
Gould also questioned the logistics of establishing the divisions, asking:
“If you create two divisions I am not quite sure who goes into the second division to start with.”
Protecting Test cricket’s global structure
Beyond the immediate financial and competitive concerns, Gould underlined the risk to the spirit of the game itself if a tiered system was implemented.
“There are other factors we need to bear in mind, we don’t want to undermine what is great about our game,” he said. “Sometimes as chief exec you have to be the boring one that says ‘yeah, but what if’ and the what if is that if this country is not in the first division then Test match cricket takes a big backwards step for that period.”
Gould acknowledged the importance of broadening opportunities for nations like Zimbabwe and Ireland but warned that any changes must be carefully designed.
“There’s some practical issues there, in terms of Test cricket we have been trying to provide opportunities whether it’s for Zimbabwe or it’s Ireland to play Test cricket. The process of how you get there can always be refined, we feel slightly sore in terms of the over rates, there’s no secret about that,” he noted.
Over rates and quality of play
Gould also touched on the issue of over rates, expressing frustration that penalties for slow play don’t always align with the quality of cricket on display.
“Over rates are there allegedly because they protect the enjoyment factor for the supporters,” he said. “A lot of our over rate issues came about because of the last Ashes series, which was the most compelling cricket you could possibly hope for, we think there’s a disconnect there.”
He added:
“Also there’s regional differences, if you’re in the subcontinent where spinners are bowling a lot of overs, you can whack through them really quickly. I was up there at Headingley watching Mark Wood bowling 90-odd mile an hour, whatever it was, and my word every ball counted. I think our frustration is it’s not the number of overs you get through, it’s the quality of cricket you play and that’s where we are.”
Maintaining elite competition
Ultimately, Gould stressed the need to preserve Test cricket’s elite nature, warning against structural changes that could dilute its prestige.
“Sometimes we have to be careful in terms of avoiding mismatches in sport, whether it’s Test cricket or it’s Test rugby, it’s there to create the highest level of competition you possibly can,” he said. “I can see why if you end up with two divisions in Test cricket you make sure you have best playing against best most often.”
Gould’s strong stance reflects growing unease among cricket’s traditional powers about tampering with the fabric of the longest format at a time when the sport is already balancing the competing demands of different formats and global markets.
