Former West Indies captain Sir Clive Lloyd has slammed the idea of implementing a new two-tier system in Test cricket that would see promotion and relegation if approved and says efforts should instead be focused on ensuring struggling teams play more often against the top sides

According to Australian media reports, teams will compete in a two-structure format where elite teams will compete for the World Test Championship (WTC) while lower-ranked teams will compete in the second tier of the competition.

Under the proposals to split the 12 ICC full member nations into two divisions, West Indies would play alongside Bangladesh, Ireland, Afghanistan and Zimbabwe in tier two, with tier one to include South Africa, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Pakistan alongside the “Big Three” India, Australia and England.

The International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Indian chairman Jay Shah will meet representatives of the Australian and English boards this month to discuss the proposals.

“I think it will be terrible for all those countries who worked so hard to get the test status,” the 80-year-old told an online media interaction. “Now they’ll be playing among themselves in the lower section. How are they going to make it to the top? When you play against better teams.”

Lloyd also expressed dismay over former ICC chairman Greg Barclay’s controversial suggestion to disband the West Indies team and have them compete as individual nations. “We (West Indies) have a great history and now you’re going to tell us because of a monetary situation, (we should be disbanded).”

The two-time World Cup winner also warned that being banished to the lower tier with a corresponding drop in funding could lead to the disintegration of the West Indies team, which is made up of players from 15 island nations.

“Our islands have got to play together. We’ve been doing that for years,” he added.

While India has emerged as the game’s financial engine, Lloyd recalled how the West Indies contributed to the game’s development, including by lending their players to county cricket in England in the 1970s.

“We were the cash cows for a lot of countries over the years … people must recognize that,” he said. “But we are at that situation now where we need the help, and we can’t get it.”