After more than 120 years and 1,500 matches, Test cricket enters a new era with the official launch of the ICC Test Championship (ICCTC). This week's opening npower Test between England and Pakistan at Lord's (17th to 21st May) will be the curtain raiser to the first Championship of Test cricket.

The ICC Test Championship has been introduced to add interest, context and excitement to the game at the highest level. It will run on a rolling league basis, with the system used for calculating positions based on the results of the most recent series (a minimum of two Test series applies), home and away, between each of the teams.

The adoption of a co-ordinated 10 year calendar of future tours by all ICC members in February this year has created the long term structure on which to base the Championship.

Using results from the most recent full series played between countries, Australia heads the first Championship table, followed by South Africa, England, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, West Indies, India, Pakistan, Zimbabwe and Bangladesh.

ICC TEST CHAMPIONSHIP TABLE, MAY 2001

Team          Played    Won   Lost    Drawn   Points   Average
Australia       13      10      2       1       21      1.62
South Africa    15       9      4       2       20      1.33
England         14       7      6       1       15      1.07
Sri Lanka       13       5      5       3       13      1.00
New Zealand     15       6      7       2       14      0.93
West Indies     12       5      6       1       11      0.92
India           12       4      5       3       11      0.92
Pakistan        15       4      7       4       12      0.80
Zimbabwe        12       2      9       1        5      0.42
Bangladesh       1       0      1       0        0        -

Two points are allocated for winning a series and one for a drawn rubber. The result -and points allocationof all future series will replace the previous equivalent. The ICC has modelled the Championship on the Wisden system, which has been running in the Almanac since 1996. The only significant difference between the two is that the ICC table is based on the results of previous series of two Test matches or more, while Wisden recognises one off Tests as a series.

At present, an average score per series (number of points won divided by number of series played) has been allocated to determine the top side, because not all teams have played each other home and away. This transitional arrangement will change to a straight points system when all teams have played each other home and away, in 2005.

"Test match cricket is the purest form of the game and commands the following of millions of fans around the world," said ICC President Malcolm Gray. "In many countries it is flourishing and attracts large crowds, but there are parts of the world where the game would benefit from greater public interest and participation. An ongoing Test Championship, that tracks the fortunes of each side and provides a talking point for enthusiasts is one way of rekindling interest and adding context to all future Test series," he added.

A permanent and distinctive ICC trophy has been commissioned which will be awarded to the leading side in the Championship. It will automatically pass from one country to another as results confirm a change of Championship leader. As the outcome of the forthcoming England series against Pakistan and Australia cannot affect the leadership, the trophy will be presented to Australia at the start of the npower Ashes series.

About the ICC Test Championship

• Starts with the npower England - Pakistan series and will include all future Test series. ICC will be responsible for administering and updating the Championship table at the conclusion of each Test series
• All Test series now follow the ICC 10 year tours programme, introduced in February 2001
• A Test series is defined as a minimum of two matches. No maximum number has been stipulated
• The leading side will hold the ICC Test Championship trophy, produced in silver and gold by Asprey & Garrard and valued at more than £30,000. The trophy will automatically pass from leader to leader
• If two teams are tied at the top of the table the holder will retain the ICC TC trophy
• If, for any reason, a scheduled series is not played or completed, no points will be awarded. This decision has been taken to act as an incentive for members to fulfil all fixtures.
• Bangladesh, Test cricket's newest member, will be allocated points but no average score until it has completed nine Test series (half of the full schedule of 18). This position is due to be reached in April 2003 when Bangladesh hosts South Africa.

This summer's results

England v Pakistan: Pakistan won the 1996 series in England 2-0

• If Pakistan win the series it will maintain 8th position in the Championship, with an average of 0.80, as the win will directly replace the winning series in England in 1996
• If England win the series its average will climb from 1.07 to 1.21, confirming a clear third position in the Championship
• If the series is drawn, Pakistan's average will fall from 0.80 to 0.73 maintaining 8th position
• A draw will improve England's average to 1.14, maintaining third position

England v Australia: Australia won the 1997 series in England 3-2

• If Australia win the series its position (1st) and average (1.62) will remain the same
• A drawn series would reduce Australia's average to 1.54, but maintain leadership of the Championship
• A loss to England will not affect leadership of the Championship, but Australia's average would fall to 1.46, narrowing its lead over South Africa (1.33)
• England's precise position at the end of the Ashes will depend on the result of the series against Pakistan. At best, winning both the Pakistan and Australia series would increase its average to1.36, moving it ahead of South Africa into second place in the table,
• The worst case scenario for England, of losing both series, would however maintain its current third position and average, as these results would mirror those of 1996 and 1997