Another Associate Hating Cricket Policy
Seems as if every time a new ICC initiative comes out, it is to the detriment of the Associates and Affiliates. Cutting the World Cup to 10 just sets all Associates back another step.
Taking a break from the Champion’s League for the time being (will be back and raring whilst going for the Warriors to beat Chennai) a few things went right under the cricket radar. Fair enough too during this time of immense turmoil; everything is going to pieces. Time to wash off the stink of this Pakistani madness and focus back on the cricket.
The major point that has been neglected in the media was a speculated idea that the 50 Over World Cup would be reduced to just 10 nations, whilst the T20 World Cup would be expanded to 16. Rather than start on a deserved rant about the mismanagement of the ODI format by the ICC (Supersubs, enough said), this instead will have to ask the question on the minds of all people not in the Test 10:
“Does the ICC actually want to expand cricket beyond the Test nations?”
We’ve seen some evidence that they are trying to improve the Associate and Affiliate experience. Two spots at the T20 was a good start for a fledgling tournament and format and additional funding by ways of ICC High Performance Program are definitely showing signs of team improvement. Whilst they nourish and care for the non-Test nations with one hand, in the other is a hangman’s noose; the form of which is restricting their access to top quality matches and the glass ceiling of Test cricket. The problem is not with the Associates, the problem has always been the ICC getting in its own way and messing up the administration of our wonderful game. They devalued ODI cricket by introducing that ridiculous Champion’s Trophy Tournament that no one cares about, allowed for 7-ODI series to run rampant and most of all, haven’t shown any inclination to make the product more enticing for new audiences.
I can’t think of another sport that is more exclusive rather than inclusive. Why would you restrict team and audience participation to those you already have in the bag? It is the worst idea in marketing history to exclude customers. The Test nations comprise roughly 1.7 billion people. With an estimate 6.8 billion people on Earth, we have to ask why there’s an obtuse need to exclude 5.1 billion people from watching the highest level of cricket. I don’t buy into how letting these countries run small fixture matches does count towards inclusion. True inclusion is without bias or exception; something the ICC has been doing for the past 10 years since the Bangladeshi addition.
Cricket is far too precious about handing out invitations to the big league. We already saw the old ICC kill off cricket in the United States, due to fear of the rogue-colony. The likes of John Barton King and George Patterson would’ve been some of the best to ever play Test cricket, but just like then, the ICC is now shutting the door on those outside of the ICC Executive. Imagine if FIFA or the IOC closed the door on their admittance to only 10 nations. It seems ludicrous to pose such a reductio ad absurdum argument, but it shows just how stupid the ICC are.
There is an influx of new interest in cricket through T20 competition which could be built upon with additional resources and added prestige of the Test status presented to a couple more nations. Cricket has next to no penetration in mainland Europe, so imagine what could happen if the Netherlands get their Test status and start to build the game throughout the continent. Uganda and Namibia are also seeking to expand cricket throughout Africa with consistent gameplay and showing great spirit and love for the game. The problem comes from the ICC not willing to stick its neck out for those who’ve yet to prove themselves financially to their cause.
Seems the real efforts to help come from Test member nations to boost up their Associate neighbours, highlighted as such by the West Indies including Canada in their T20 tournament and Australia and England supporting Scotland, Ireland and the Netherlands with regular ODIs against these teams. The boards of these nations can see the potential in helping new teams, not only from an altruistic sense but by the rewards these countries could reap going forward. Additional tours, retention of fans from immigrant populations of these nations, more competition to give better match experience so on so forth.
The World Cup needs to expand rather than decrease. Figure out the correct format for the tournament and work off that. I’d rather see 20 teams in it than 10. Any failings of the ODI format, and by extension every Test or Associate team in it, rest on your shoulders.
Jarrod Potter
Editor of the True Allrounder
Feature picture by Afghanistan Press Kit Uploads under Creative Commons
I am slowly but surely losing faith in the ICC.
But reducing the number of nations would help in getting a more competitive world cup. It is important to get the balance right.
You can’t increase the quality of the Associates by not giving them a chance to play the biggest nations. Depending on what the definition of best 10 nations (Ireland being ranked above Zimbabwe in the ODI and pushing to overtake Bangladesh as well), you could see a properly ranked team outside of the qualifications because they lack Test status.
I enjoyed watching Ireland, Kenya and Canada all prove that the Top 10 in Test cricket isn’t a monolith of impenetrability, I don’t see how closing off the spots would improve cricket. Afghanistan already miss out on a deserved spot at the World Cup due to the reduction, no need to take all of them out now and kill off the same chances.
A great majority of my favourite World Cup moments came from the Associates outdoing their limits. Davison’s 100 especially.
I think increasing the amount of teams in the World t20 is the way to go, while keeping the teams in the world cup to around 14. Anymore than 14 and you will get too many uncompetitive nations, as it is we will get the likes of Kenya and Canada next year – two sides who will get thrashed by the full memeber teams. I agree that it’s a shame that Afghanistan isn’t in the CWC but they should have no problem qualifying for 2015.
*They should have no problem if the CWC isn’t reduced to 10 teams, that is.
14 is ok considering, but I always liked the 4 groups of 4 that came about particularly in 2003 and 2007. This new policy ensures that India and Pakistan are less likely to be eliminated by lesser types and thoroughly humiliated as it was last time around.
T20 is more likely to receive pastings to the lower countries than T20. Sri Lanka v Kenya being the record breaker to prove this rule. These results will be all too common from the extra Associates.
The problem with uncompetitive Associates has solely to do with the ICC improperly administering them. Imagine Ireland or the Netherlands with a budget even half the size of Zimbabwe/Bangladesh. They’d be able to compete well into the middle tier of Test cricket against the likes of Pakistan, Sri Lanka and New Zealand.