Tim May calls for ICC overhaul to fix ‘untenable’ Test cricket situation

Cricket’s governing body must alter course drastically to avoid more situations like the current West Indies tour, a former Test cricketer says.

Former players’ union boss Tim May says the current position of Test cricket on the international calendar looks “untenable” without a major scheduling overhaul.

The ex-Australian Test off-spinner said the number of Test-playing nations was certain to shrink unless international cricket avoided any overlap with major T20 tournaments and the distribution of funds to ICC members was radically altered.

May, who played 24 Tests and 47 ODIs for Australia before establishing and leading the Australian Cricketers’ Association, called for urgent financial assistance for the smaller Test sides including the West Indies, as funds continued to flow into the coffers of India, England and Australia.

“It’s absolutely crucial to completely redefine the financial arrangements that the ICC has with distribution,” May said.

Tim May (left) played more than 70 international matches for Australia and was a highly effective foil for the late Shane Warne. Picture: NAP

“At the moment, all the ICC is doing is giving the majority of it to India and I understand why, along with England and Australia, they’re taking the main share.

“But to borrow a phrase from Midnight Oil, it’s a situation where the rich get richer and the poor get the picture … if the West Indies brought the full side out here and had to pay them adequate compensation, they’d probably go broke, and the same goes for South Africa on their tour to New Zealand.”

Former West Indies Test captain Jason Holder was among the touring side’s best players to opt out of playing in the current series to play T20 cricket in the UAE.

May said international fixtures would need to steer clear of the major tournaments to avoid players having to make a financial sacrifice to represent their country.

“If you’re smart about scheduling you can make the smaller nations more financially capable of meeting the competition of these T20 leagues, and that can get us back on track again,” he said.

West Indies star and former Test captain Jason Holder made himself unavailable for the Test tour of Australia to play in the ILT20 tournament in the UAE. Picture: David Rowland / AFP

“But the present situation is just untenable … I honestly think the number of teams will shrink.

“India, England and Australia will always play Test cricket. it’s just in the culture here that every cricketer wants to play, but it’s just not the case elsewhere at the moment.”

May, 61, has lived in Texas since 2005 but returned to Australia this summer to share an important message from his year-long cancer battle after becoming an ambassador for the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia.

He urged Australia men over 40 to take a simple PSA blood test and be vigilant about their prostate health, with only 36 per cent of prostate cancers detected at stage 1 in Australia.

“I skipped a blood test … I was fearful of an outcome, I was a coward, an idiot, a fool,” May said.

🗣️ "I was a fool. An absolute fool, and I don't want anyone else to be a fool, or be scared."

Tim May has had a tough 12 months after being diagnosed with prostate cancer.

He talks to @bowlologist and @plalor about what happened, and where he's at now 🙏 pic.twitter.com/6FWqf0Mefa

— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) January 18, 2024

“Unfortunately, when I did get tested my PSA levels were in double figures – anything over four is a real sign of trouble down there.

“I don’t want anyone else to be scared because the sooner you detect it, the more chance you’ve got.”

Scans recently cleared May of cancer after a gruelling year of chemotherapy and radiation, but the former cricketer has another 12 months of treatment ahead as he battles the brutal side effects, including intense waves of nausea, memory loss and difficulty concentrating.

“Prostate cancer keeps trying to come back, so I need another 12 months of chemo, but I don’t want any sympathy,” he said.

“If you were told ‘I’ll deal you two years of crap for 30 years of gold’, I’d take that any day.

“It’s a slow-moving cancer but don’t take advantage of that – do your tests, and you’ll be fine, simple as that.”