Indian captain MS Dhoni is presented the ICC Test Championship mace for his team taking top spot in the rankings
The ICC Test Championship is a notional international competition run by the International Cricket Council. It is a ranking system for all international cricket matches played between the nine Test playing nations.
After every Test series, the two teams involved are awarded points based on a mathematical formula, each teams points is divided by the total number of matches played to produce a ‘rating’. Teams are then ranked by order of their rating and the ICC awards a trophy to the highest ranked team which is transferred when another team reaches the highest ranking.
The nine Test playing nations are; Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, South Africa and West Indies. The ICC have provided ratings since 2003 which was led by Australia until July 2009. South Africa took over in August 2009, from when five teams have competed for the top positions (Australia, South Africa, India, Sri Lanka and England).
In October 2010, the ICC Board approved recommendations to provide an exciting context for international cricket within the Future Tours Programme (FTP) after 2012 and also to consider future ICC events.
The Board agreed that the FTP should consist of a Test league and that the league would determine the top four teams to qualify for an ICC Test play-off. It also agreed that the play-off should be held once every four years to determine the Test champion team with a request to hold the first such play-off in 2013.
The ICC World Cup and World Twenty20 have already shown that tournament cricket is immensely popular and it is expected the structure will bring added excitement and interest in the five-day version of cricket.
Test cricket affords itself well to betting and is popular with sports bettors worldwide. The tournament structure will add even more betting opportunities with extra betting markets opening up as a result to customer demand. Popular betting markets for Series winners, Series Correct Score, Top Series Batsman and Bowler can expect to be augmented with odds to qualify for the play off tournament and to win the tournament. Typically, the tournament format always generates extra interest for individual matches.
Spread Betting firms will look forward to Test tournaments with relish, their cricket markets attract a lot of business with the exciting nature of buying and selling spreads.
FREE CRICKET BETS FOR THE ICC TEST CHAMPIONSHIP
Get free cricket bets for the ICC Championship by registering with online bookmakers to claim the free bet offers that are available exclusively to new customers.
Three steps to get free cricket bets for the ICC Test Championship
- Select your free bet offer(s); check the main terms and conditions for restrictions for qualifying for free bets and using free bets, then select the free bet offer(s) that best suit your needs. Best Free Bets has a list of free bet offers with all the main terms detailed. CLICK HERE SEE A LIST OF FREE BET OFFERS
- Sign up with an online bookmaker; Best Free Bets has reviewed the best online bookmakers who will all provide free bets to new customers, the bookmakers are recommended because they are trustworthy and reputable, just follow the links to bookmaker’s website and register your details.
- Deposit some funds and place a bet; in most instances deposit and bet as little as £5 to qualify for a free bet matching your first bet stake up to the maximum offered by the bookmaker.
Online bookmakers will normally credit the free bet to your account within 24-48 hours of meeting the qualifying requirements, which usually entails making a deposit and/or placing a bet.
REDEEMING FREE CRICKET BETS
Normally, using your free cricket bet is simply a matter of making your selection and indicating on the bet slip that you wish to use your free bet. Some bookmakers’ methods vary slightly, however their websites will contain instructions on how to redeem your free bet.
There will be restrictions placed on the use of free bets which vary between bookmakers and is advisable to make yourself familiar with those restrictions before signing up.
The six most important facts about redeeming free cricket bets
- Free bet stakes will not be included in returns
- Minimum Odds; expect the bookmaker to insist your free bet is placed on a selection with a minimum price, typically 1/5 (1.20) to evens (2.00)
- Bet Type restrictions; you may not be allowed to use your free bet for some types of bets, however Singles are almost allowed and Accumulators are accepted by most bookmakers.
- Product restrictions; you won’t be able to invest free bets in Tote Pools and in many instances you will be confined to using the free bets in the sportsbook rather than Casino, Poker and other gaming products.
- Rollover requirements; some online bookmakers insist customers bet their deposit and/or stake a number of times before making a withdrawal.
- Free Bet Expiry; if unused, the free bets will expire after a period of time, normally 7 to 30 days.
CRICKET FREE BET TIPS FOR THE ICC TEST CHAMPIONSHIP
If you enjoy a regular flutter throughout the ICC Test Championship or on other cricket betting events then its worth considering opening accounts with a number of online bookmakers. Free bets provide an excellent opportunity to increase your winnings or the chance to bet a winner without risking your own money. You also gain the advantage of being able to compare the different odds available for your selection allowing you to choose the best odds for your cricket bets, which will obviously help your profits over time.
Nowadays you can place a bet on your mobile phone and most online bookmakers have special mobile friendly versions of their websites or specially developed mobile phone and smartphone applications to make the website easy to browse and place a bet while you are out and about. It is worth mentioning because some online bookmakers will give you a free bet for trying out their mobile service, even if you already hold an account with them.
Our best cricket free bet tips
- Open accounts with a number of online bookmakers, get free bets and choose the best odds.
- Find bookmakers you can trust, be confident of the bona fides of the bookmaker before handing over important personal and financial information.
- Insure your cricket bets, look for cricket free bet refunds on Top Batsman and other cricket markets. Betfred, Boylesports, Paddy Power, Stan James and Totesport often offer to refund losing stakes as free bets during major cricket tournaments.
Best Free Bets bookmaker reviews provide details of each bookmaker’s offers and promotions. By their nature, offers and promotions can change and we advise you visit the bookmaker’s website and check the available promotions before placing your bet. CLICK HERE TO SEE OUR LIST OF BOOKMAKER REVIEWS.