Cricket Update: Associates criticize World Cup proposals-ICC
The International Cricket Council (ICC) plans to reduce 50-over World Cup is being highly criticized by its leading Associates. This decision is based on ICC chief executive committee which includes three representatives from associate countries such as
Ireland, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Hong-Kong-c2919, plus the ten full members. The suggestion is to include fewer 50-over World Cup tournaments from 2015 onward, to only ten teams, which are full members of ICC and increase the number of Twenty20 tournaments by including 16 teams.
Countries such as http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Kenya-c752, Canada and Ireland have come forward with high level of criticism; these countries have already qualified for the 2011 World Cup. Meanwhile, ICC has stressed on how the ten teams will be decided for the tournament, excluding cricket’s
tier of nations.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Canada-c748’s cricket chief executive Chandra Gocool says, “The ICC position on globalization seems to be to use T20 to improve the participation in the sport in Associate and Affiliate countries and protect the full member's interest," also adding, "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”.
On the other hand, Cricket Kenya's chief executive Tom Sears believes, "Cricket must be the only sport where you can't qualify for the World Cup on merit. In football and rugby, if you are good enough, you can compete. Unfortunately, the ICC seems to want
to pull up the drawbridge and not allow the Associate countries in."
The top eight or ten team’s bread and butter are generated through the 50-over format of the game. These cricketing nations are already developed, and the exclusion of number of 50-over World Cup will not hurt their sanctity for the game. Meanwhile, younger
cricketing nations, which have proved to be good performers, need the 50-over format to consolidate their cricketing status and future in the international arena.
Countries like http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ireland-c751 who have defeated the Pakistani national team in the 2007 World Cup and were a frequent challenge for other national teams would be devastated, if they do not get a chance to compete in the 50-over tournaments.
The http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Scotland-c756 cricket chief executive Roddy Smith said, “If there was no qualification tournament it would be a huge issue for Associate cricket. It is vital to have a qualification event, whether that would be the bottom two full member nations and the top
six Associates or something else I'm not sure.”
This ICC’s course of action has come about due to the inclusion of Test World Cup to be held in 2013, and the increase number of Twenty20 World Cup’s and tournaments to happen. This cricketing decision surely does not affect teams which are full members
of ICC and have attained their Test Status. But infant teams which have just reached the international cricketing arena will fail to develop their game. However, twenty20 cricket is a great format for these nations to build their cricketing futures but no
way has this compensated for the non-exclusion from the 50-over tournament.
General Manager of cricket Dave http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Richardson-c85395 explains the rationale behind ICC’s decision. He believes that it is easier for teams to be competitive in the 20-over format rather than in the 50-over version. To encounter other serious questions regarding the
matter, the ICC official says, “We have still got five years before the next world Cup so we have got plenty of time to determine how teams are going to qualify.”
Nevertheless, what General Manager of ICC has to review this decision, the cricket upcoming international fraternity is losing their trust in the cricketing council, which is the ICC. Their decision regarding the matter of 50-over tournaments have demodulated
and derailed these cricketing infant nations. These younger associating countries would have appreciated some closure rather than hearing news that they are being shutdown in the longer run.
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