Obviously, there will be a furious debate over the issue at Christchurch but if the ICC manages to push the plan through, the traditional concept of a five-Test series will cease to exist.

Ironically, this `revolutionary' proposal -- commissioned by the ICC to package Test cricket more attractivelyin the market -- will be thrown up for discussion just two weeks after one of the most successful years in Test cricket, where 74% of matches were decided.

In fact, the Asian Cricket Council has already been persuaded to kick off an Asian Test Championships next year, as a forerunner for a World Championships. Not surprising, since Jagmohan Dalmiya is known to wield considerable influence in Asia; consider the manner in which the schedule of the India-Pakistan three-Test series has been twisted to convert the third Test into the inaugural match of the Asian Championships. The final will be held in Dhaka.

Anyway, Dalmiya, having earlier been the secretary of a cricket board that has sent its team for just two five-Test series in the last 10 years (vs Australia in 1991-92 & vs West Indies in 1997), probably feels this is the best way to save Test cricket. But, two of the founding members of the international body which he heads -- England and Australia -- will disagree. And, if the haste with which theAsian Championships was propped up is any indication, there are right in believing that the ICC, under Dalmiya, cannot be trusted with a World Championship.

More importantly, for England and Australia, the first victim of this operation will be the Ashes series. Both the countries have been playing five or six Test series since 1897, and in Australia's case, they will also have to forego their traditional five-Test encounters against the West Indies. The Aussies will be forced cut them down to four-Test series, at best, and play two Tests against Zimbabwe or Sri Lanka. Will England or Australia agree to play Zimbabwe as often as they play, say, the West Indies? Somehow, the ICC's idea of universal equality doesn't jell in this situation, even if they hope to gather support from countries like Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh on this issue.

Then again, the proposed length of this Test championships makes the ICC recommendations seem like a quick-fix marketing idea rather than an enduring concept. Justwhat kind of interest do they hope to generate in a championships which runs over four years?

Now, if the final argument is that the cricketers need to be encouraged to play for a result, just take a look at the scorecards of 1997. And anyway, when you are playing for your country it is expected that you play to win. A point that was stressed last week by Mohammed Azharuddin, like other captains all over the world, in a pre-match interview before the second Test. The ICC, probably, thinks otherwise and seem determined to go ahead with an experiment which might just blow up in their faces, killing Test cricket in the process.

WHAT THE WORLD SAYS

Waugh (Steve) is here because he wants to win GOLD for Australia. Nothing else matters. Contrast that with Sachin Tendulkar, another batting genius, who is in Malaysia because the Indian Cricket Board said so. Tendulkar contributed 11 yesterday after scores of 15 and two against Antigua and Canada respectively in earlier group matches.

Even the greatslose form but his body language throughout the tournament has suggested a cricketer with his mind elsewhere probably Toronto, where most of India's regulars are contesting a lucrative five-match Sahara Cup series against Pakistan. In fact he, captain Ajay Jadeja, Singh and Kumble are considering flying to Canada today for the last two games.

BRENDAN GALLAGHER, The Daily Telegraph, 16 Sept 1998