Cricket Treading In The Danger Zone

Cricket is in serious danger of becoming the 21^st century’s version of rugby league.  The original professional rugby code has held 14 World Cups and to date only three nations have won the competition.  Moreover only four have featured in the final.  Well, five but England used to play as Great Britain so that hardly counts.  Australia have won ten of the 14, Great Britain three and New Zealand one.  The Kiwis cannot be considered a world power because only Australia and Great Britain/England possess a positive World Cup record.  Everyone else is in the negative while New Zealand have won and lost 31 times each.  Rugby League features 14 teams at its World Cup but you be the judge as to how truly worldwide the sport is.

India, Australia and England are plotting a controversial move to assume control of the sport that runs the risk of converting the game into a new age version of rugby league.  The International Cricket Council (ICC) says proposals for a structural overhaul that would benefit the “Big Three” received unanimous backing.  However, representatives of Pakistan and South Africa reject that claim.

They insist nothing has yet been approved and say a final decision will be made on Saturday, 8 February.  The ICC’s executive board – a panel on which all ten Test-playing nations sit – currently agrees all major decisions.  What the “Big Three” proposal effectively recommends comes down to India, Australia and England deciding who they will play, when and where they will play them.

It means South Africa, the number one-ranked Test side, will only play against these three sides when it suits the bullies.  This is a potential death knell for the sport.  Cricket South Africa (CSA) and the other six potentially isolated nations rely heavily on the revenues generated by incoming tours by these three.

Which way will the ICC go?  It is hard to say but given that India is responsible for around 80% of all broadcast income, you can see who is holding all the cards.  CEO of the South African Cricketers Association Tony Irish has already pointed out that the other nine should gang up on India because the Indians cannot play against themselves.

CSA President Chris Nenzani was involved in a “very fruitful and constructive session” with his stakeholders.  Nenzani said, “After carefully considering the ICC revamp proposals, we have reached a position where we will need to engage further with the ICC leadership before we can reach a consensus position ahead of next Saturday’s ICC Board meeting.  I am confident that we can reach agreement based on the principles that we strongly adhere to.”

Meanwhile, The West Indies Cricket Board has said it expects its revenue to rise by “at least 100%” over the next eight years if the “key principles” of the draft proposal on the ICC’s revenue sharing are voted in.  The board issued a statement in support of the “key principles” put forward on day one of the ICC executive board meeting in Dubai, saying it had engaged in “extensive discussions” before concluding that several of the key principles could be beneficial to West Indies cricket.