I think we'll see 3 unofficial tiers in the near future.They really don't give a stuff about test cricket do they.
We could see them at Zimbabwe's level soon, and with Ireland and Afghanistan given test status we're about to see two tiers and a massive gap between them.
I sincerely hope the West Indies are relegated to playing us in winter in Darwin and Cairns.
For whatever reason CA still sees them as having some sort of 'draw' despite the fact that not only are they terrible, they don't even seem to care how bad they actually are.
Give me Boxing Day against the Kiwis or Bangladesh ahead of them any day.
I think we'll see 3 unofficial tiers in the near future.
Australia
England
India
South Africa
The big 3 plus SA who are usually competitive. I can see these teams playing a lot more frequently for better or worse.
Then:
Pakistan
New Zealand
Sri Lanka
Bangladesh
These teams will play amongst each other and occasionally against the big 4 and the 'minnows'.
West Indies
Zimbabwe
Ireland
Afghanistan
Will play amongst each other the middle tier and very rarely against the big 4.
Not my ideal but the reality of where test cricket is heading.
All those reports of the pink Duke hooping unplayably about were obviously a little hyberbolic....