Associates criticise ICC ruling on team reduction
The International Cricket Council’s Chief Executives’ Committee is looking to reduce the cricket that gets played in the Cricket World Cup, but the Associate members of the apex cricket body have condemned the move. They have said that this will only protect
the interests of the Test playing nations, while stalling the growth of the sport in other countries.
The ICC's CEC, which has ten representatives from the Test playing nations and three representatives from the Associate countries (http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Hong-Kong-c2919), had earlier suggested to have only the top ten teams play in the 50-over World Cup, and increase
the number of sides in the 20-over World Cup. The 2007 World Cup for 50-over cricket had seen 16 teams fight it out, and was dubbed 'the worst cricket World Cup ever'. Only 14 teams will feature in the next World Cup played in the sub-continent.
But the ICC still has to decide which ten teams will play in the 2015 World Cup.
According to Chandra Gocool, the CEO of the Canadian Cricket Association, the latest ICC will peg back the cricketing development in the country. She said, "Especially worrisome is the lessened opportunity to play in the Cricket World Cup in 2015. This opportunity
was a significant incentive for us to continue to focus on our development. We are now faced with a glass ceiling."
Gocool was not alone in his criticism. Cricket Kenya's chief executive, Tom Sears, said that cricket was the only sport where no qualifying matches are played. The current top ten teams get a direct entry into the tournament, given their status as a Test-playing
nation. He added, “Unfortunately, the ICC seems to want to pull up the drawbridge and not allow the Associate countries in.”
Roddy Smith, the chief executive of Cricket http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Scotland-c756 added, “Twenty20 is a great development tool for the lower-ranked Associates, but the bread and butter for the top eight or 10 teams is 50-over ODI matches.”
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Netherlands-c753 will feature in the 2011 edition of the World Cup.
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