MELBOURNE, Australia (CMC) — Australian Test legend Steve Waugh has urged the intervention of cricket's world governing body, International Cricket Council (ICC), in salvaging the credibility of the game's longest format, after South Africa followed West Indies' lead in selecting an understrength Test side for the two-Test tour of New Zealand.

Only last month, West Indies named seven uncapped players in a weakened 15-man squad for two Tests here later this month, and South Africa followed suit by picking an inexperienced squad — also featuring seven debutants — for their two-Test series in New Zealand next month.

The New Zealand tour has clashed with the SA20 — Cricket South Africa's lucrative, premier, T20 domestic tournament — and the leading players have been allowed to focus their efforts on the shorter format.

"It's going to happen if the South African Cricket Board are any indication of the future, keeping their best players at home," Waugh said.

Read more at Jamaica Observer

Full Story

but why?

Good question, the top countries are the ones that talk about the importance of Test cricket, put up or shut up

In reply to VIX

Because i dont care to watch 3 formats where defensive bowlers are considered the best
test allows aggressive bowling more than the other formats

In reply to VIX

don't you love when the shitstem eats itself

Waugh should be more concerned about the scheduling of the matches, there should not be a clash in scheduling of the different formats.

In reply to CaribbeanCricket.com

homie should have been complaining when the WI started fielding 2nd string sides vs australia, starting with sammy's side in 2012

In reply to doosra

Test cricket will live on!
Unfortunately only 3 nations will be playing it!

In reply to VIX

Actually, if you were listening carefully to me all along you would not find yourself in this conundrum you now find yourself hahaha

they will soon come to the realise that they need the others to be as strong as they can be for cricket as a whole to survive and be of interest and valuable...

at least they are waking up

In reply to doosra
American cricket T20 leagues will soon or later cut all ties with ICC and create their own cricket rules....and flourish mightily

Big three carve up the ICC money amongst themselves and now surprised at what they are facing.

Klaasen retires from the antiquated format to concentrate on contemporary cricket.

Looks like cricket is going football way...franchise cricket first... international tourneys only and few frindlies...

In reply to VIX

No surprise really with the lack of tests South Africa are playing over the next couple of years.

The ICC have let T/20 franchise cricket start all over the World without doing much about it.

In reply to WICFan
National teams should not play T20. The ICC saw the money in T20 and lost its mind. How can it dictate to countries when it wants a piece of the action too?

In reply to Angel

ICC want their slice as well. This will be the third T/20 World Cup in four years.

The ICC shouldn't arrange ODI or T/20 Internationals for a few months after those respective CWC tournaments.

What's the point in playing ODI's so soon after the CWC when the Champions Trophy Qualification has wrapped up and the qualifying for the next CWC has changed.