India’s Gautam Gambhir, center, is congratulated by Australian Brett Lee as Indian V.V.S. Laxman, right, looks on as they return after end of play on the first day of their third cricket test match in New Delhi, India, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2008. Gambhir scored his second hundred in consecutive matches with an unbeaten 149 Wednesday. AP Photo/Gurinder Osan
The ICC should be disbanded and the respective cricket boards go their own ways. They can then all live and die by the “market forces” they are so quick to turn to in defense of the indefensible.
The ICC has Haroon Lorgat as the front man. He is hamstrung by a committee that gives him power only to sneeze. Everything else is determined by a vote.
And no board votes against the BCCI (Indian Cricket Board), except perhaps the ECB (England and Wales). But when the majority is with India, then it is irrelevant if there are dissenters.
Just think for a moment that New Zealand, Bangladesh, the West Indies and Zimbabwe are so cash-strapped that they cannot afford to go against India’s dictates.
Sri Lanka are effectively second and third mortgaged to the BCCI. Their only administrator of substance, Arjuna Ranatunga, lost his job because he called the IPL “instant noodles”.
It is prudent to review who is sleeping with whom.
Australia, India and South Africa are the “owners” of the Champions League, the annual tournament that was won by Simon Katich’s Blues last October in India. The Indian Board (BCCI) is the majority shareholder and the boards of Australia (CA) and South Africa (CSA) have a minority stake.
The TV rights for the Champions League are in excess of a billion dollars for ten years. The three boards share roughly $100 million dollars a year.
The rest of the teams, and their boards, play only for the prize money.
The BCCI continues to make decisions more associated with a drunken sailor than an institution, arguably, holding the future of cricket in its compromised hands.
It has lurched from having only two Tests scheduled in 2010 to suddenly having another eight before the end of the year.
In 2008 the BCCI and CA signed a MOU that agreed to seven one day matches in India every year. This was, ostensibly, to maximize the earning potential that their cricket teams’ represented in the immediate short term.
Australia has been a willing partner in this exercise and, as a consequence, has exposed their players to premature burnout. The players are not beasts of burden.
Earlier this year the BCCI asked South Africa to play two unscheduled Tests. This was done so they could protect their number one status.
The BCCI has now asked Australia to play two Test Matches in October this year. This is welcome news for cricket lovers. But it does not remove the perception that the BCCI is doing this for ulterior reasons.
Brand India needs to be protected so that broadcasters continue to throw mega dollars at the BCCI.
The BCCI also realizes that it has dined out on the illustrious careers of Tendulkar, Dravid and Laxman for the better part of two decades. This trilogy only has a few encores left and the BCCI wants to exploit this to the maximum.
Another compelling reason for this rescheduling is that the conversation will change from the IPL debacle to more cricket centric matters. Nothing has changed in the BCCI. Srinivasan, the secretary still owns an IPL team. He does not believe there is a conflict of interest because the BCCI ratified this ownership. This rationale suggests that anything the BCCI ratifies is to be accepted as sacrosanct.
The fans in India have been cheated by administrators more interested in running the red light than the safety of other road users. Their sin may be one of omission and this may in the long term be forgivable. But if the sins are of commission then their behavior is unconscionable. The sad part is that we may never know.
Cricket Australia will, in all probability, agree to the BCCI’s request for the unscheduled Tests. The low and slow pitches may not be ideal preparation for the Ashes to follow.
Cricket Australia has been pragmatic in its’ relationship with the BCCI as it realizes that the majority of cricket’s income lies with India. However, CA needs to prioritise its objectives and the recent talk in making more room for the KFC Big bash at the expense of the Sheffield Shield is going the excessive ways of the IPL.
The fans in Australia will not put up with second rate opponents like we had last summer. The Sheffield Shield struggles for crowds because the stars like Ponting and Johnson have to rest after their exertions on the International front. How can our young players like Smith and Ferguson progress if they are denied the opportunity to play with and against the established stars?
If we can find a window for the IPL then why not for the Sheffield Shield? How much money does a board really need to run cricket? Have we come so far that the end game is the bottom line and not the game?
I have been energized by the number of Roarers who have expressed their concern for the future of cricket. I urge them to speak out. In the end we will get the game we deserve.
Ask yourself: are you being served?
Vinay Verma
Roar Guru
matty,match-fixing is a scourge and I would not be surprised if it is happening. When there is gambling involved ,crime cannot be far away. I do not think it is any one particular country . The odds are probably set in the UK or Dubai. IPL2 has been mentioned and the Sydney Test you refer to. Both Stephen Waugh and Michael Clarke have said they would be disappointed if this were true. One hopes not but unfortunately the smell lingers. Penalties must be severe and if proven a life ban would be in order and their records should be erased. I am not in favour of the two innings of 20/25. This has been proposed by Tendulkar and by others. This is just the sort of hybrid that would devalue all three games. The competitiveness of teams and the quality of the pitches are the two most important considerations. If there is a genuine contest then people will watch. Sport centres around rivalry and if the two teams are evenly matched then you have a spectacle. I would rather cricket was a la carte than a smorgasboard.
matty1974
Guest
Most of what I think is already covered here, to which I would add: The allegations of the Pakistanis throwing matches in Oz and the allegations about the IPL match fixing are very concerning. Being a fan of test cricket, I remember watching the 20/20 game between Oz and Pakistan last summer (the one and only 20/20 game I have watched) and thinking that it was obvious that the Pakistani's threw the match. The fact that you can't play cricket when it rains, or there is bad light, mean that there will always be a limit on what TV networks can/will pay. I recall a MCG test several years ago (against South Africa?) that was washed out except for a few hours on the first day. If you'd paid big money to cover this test and were forced to screen re runs of Lassie movies, don't think you'd be stumping up any more money. Finally, I cannot believe there have been no trials of a ODI featuring two innings apiece of 20/25 overs. This would combine the thrills and spills of 20/20, the tactical battles of test and the 8-9 hours of TV coverage and fans at the ground buying beers that provide a reason for 50/50 to exist.
Vinay Verma
Roar Guru
Towser,Midfielder, Fatigue is a big factor in the performances. This was an issue even in the 1980's. I was travelling in a car with Kapil Dev who was then playing for Nothants. We drove four hours to get to Harrowgate for a game due to start the next day. The county circuit then was an endless drive to the game,pack up and start again. No time to get the whites washed. This has to affect the quality of the cricket played. There was also very little time to socialise after the game. And that for me was a pity because the pub had Bass on tap. Freddie Trueman had a maxim "You practice fast bowling by bowling not by weights" He had a mean bouncer did Fiery. We have to preserve our stars. We can't have thoroughbreds running in the Bong Bong races.
Midfielder
Guest
Gotta agree Tow.. even poor old Blatter when he said woman should play in shorter shorts ... in a sense Clive Plamer & Coach are for football because they say things and don't care who they offend... Pim as well when he said training in Germany was better than playing in the A-League...That football allows its characters is a good sign ... who can forget the South American goalkeeper (forget the country) when asked is there much pressure in penalty on you.. his reply to those that don't know it was something like this... Pressure that’s rubbish, pressure is when you have no job, no money, and need to feed your family, stay within the law and guide your kids on the right path... so don't talk about heroes and pressure I get paid heaps.. the real heroes are those poor bastards that can't feed their family...now that is pressure... Vinay my other two points in number and variety of matches have taken international cricket from an event to a domestic international team format needs close watching... the suits you speak of need to be careful they do not over play matches... also the people playing cricket in England & WI are not the same quality as in by gone years... simply because they play other codes ... Union, League, Football, ... I read somewhere about two years ago that cricket in terms of what a top player can earn is 7th in England ... meaning many other sports to choose from.. for the good sportsman... I don't know how these things are corrected
Towser
Guest
"Sport has been hijacked by the corporates and it is time to reclaim it". Have to agree with that Vinay & Midfielders comment about characters. Brought up on Football & Cricket In Yorkshire, Freddie Trueman was a "character". Personified the Yorkshireman for the county. Same here with Keith Miller. Seemed though that the next generations got slowly diluted somewhat. Maybe its because of a PC world affecting cricket more than other sports. As a football fan it doesnt seem to have affected the sport as much,although corporates nowadays have much to say even there. As an example Maradona remains a character. HIs outbursts at press conferences not long ago were colourful to say the least. When I watch the upcoming World Cup I eagerly await not just the football, but whether Maradona will steal the show . Do something outrageous . Seems also that splitting the sport into ever increasing parts cant be good long term. What do you concentrate on what should you improve? That applies across the board to spectators, administrators, sponsors etc.
Vinay Verma
Roar Guru
Midfielder, I am so glad you have taken the time to comment. It is precisely people like you that Cricket needs to reclaim. We can ill afford to lose passionate supporters like yourself. Sport is about characters. Sport has to be above the humdrum . All interviews post match,across all sports,have cardboard responses. "We played like a team" We Weren't good enough. And then they all thank the sponsors. Spectators are fed pulp fiction. I always work on the premise that my reader is at least,if not more,intelligent than I am. It is time sports writers gave credit to their readers. Players should be allowed to write articles. Bradman did so and Tiger O Reilly. As did Jack Fingleton. It is refreshing to hear Shane Warne,warts and all. I have spoken with current Test Cricketers and they are aware they come across as wooden. They would like to be less politically correct but their contracts forbit their outspokeness. Time to rewrite the contracts. Sport has been hijacked by the corporates and it is time to reclaim it.
Midfielder
Guest
Vinay Excellent read and loved reading some of the posts... My personal feeling about cricket are mixed...three reasons in the main first the lack of competitive matches England's record over the last say 25 years is poor ... WI have not had a top side since the the mid 80's... only India & maybe South Africa offer any real contest ... Second is a combination of the number of matches and the variety of matches .. test , ODI & 20 20 .. not sure if this makes sense but a international match is different to a domestic competition in that a test match is an event that everyone can get behind, even if you prefer something else... My example is Football, it is easy for all Australian to get behind the Socceroos because every match is an event in itself with player returning to clubs after the match... The WC is the big event... As I see it international test cricket has stopped being an event and has become a defacto international domestic competition.. not unlike RU Super competition. My third reason is HHHHHHHHMMMMMMMMmmmm taste I suppose... the characters have gone or are not let out... I loved watching Lillee .. he was something to watch, Dougiee with his fag and booze, Tommo etc... the Poms & WI's the same ... all bland today... Even Shane was tame by prior years standards... Seems like political Correctness with spin doctors and media training ... like ..."""Football was big winner today"""" ... That is why I like some of the Indian players they sometimes speak their minds... and on a similar vain the way Australia has in particular turned sledging into an art form to win games ... Just my thoughts ... but from a person who would never miss a ball and knew all the players and their stats to a casual observer... maybe it has merit given my journey from very keen to casual watcher ....
Vinay Verma
Roar Guru
King Jules, your Golden rule is cetainly apt. And this is so right across the economic.political and social spectrum. All we hear and read is bribery,corruption and failed promises. I suspect that Cricket administrators are not used to the money currently in the game. Like Midas they need to understand that gold is an inanimate object. Cricket,and sport in general,is a living being and needs to be constantly nourished. Many of our ills have been caused by unthinking and avaricious exploitation of our natural resources. I really do not wish sport to become a wasteland where the excesses of consumerism are dumped. As fans and consumers we need to ensure the package is biodegradeable. And that it can regenerate beyond our lifetimes.
Vinay Verma
Roar Guru
Russ,the TV rights in Australia are certainly undervalued. I have always thought that Channel 9 have dined out on this for almost three decades. A worldwide auction of these could fethc more than the 50 odd million a year currently. There is a schism currently with the SCG Trust at odds with CNSW. This is not edifying for potential and existing sponsors. I find it inmcongrous that any International Cricket should be moved to ANZ stadium when the Commonwealth Bank is a long term sponsor and supporter of Australian Cricket. I need to study the implications of more domestic cricket in Australia in relation to existing International commitments to reply in a meanigful way to your comments.The franchise system in Australia is still a work in progress. Whereas in the IPL it is a fixture and again largely underpinned by TV rights. More people in India prefer to watch at home than at the stadiums,which remain "unfriendly"
Russ
Guest
Vinay, thanks. My point regarding broadcast rights is not that they aren't important, but that they are less important in a franchise model, than a national one. To demonstrate, consider the Australian market: Under a national model, Nine pays $30m for roughly 45 days of cricket over 3 months. That is, the national team plays on average, every 2 days, for $10m a month. Ticket sales for 15 days of cricket with an average attendance of 20k are 300,000 people (maybe $3m profit once you cover ground costs). That $13m is then split between the states and CA. Under a franchise model, having 6 teams means you can play two games a day, every day of the month, so although the average tv audience is probably smaller (maybe even a quarter given local teams and overlapping fixtures), there would still be $10m in broadcast money. But 60 days of cricket attracting an average attendance of 20k = 1,200,000 people ($12m profit), which goes directly to the franchise. Neither the broadcasters nor the national boards benefit from domestic T20 competitions because there is no added value in it for them. The beneficiaries are the owners of currently under-used grounds, the players (currently selling their services to a monopoly and therefore underpaid) and the spectators who will see a lot more cricket.
King Jules
Guest
An insightful article as always, Vinay. I'm reminded of that cornflake box philosophy that seems to characterise the modern era - "The Golden Rule: the one who has the gold makes the rules". However, at the behest of the BCCI, the game is at risk of cannibilising itself. What cricket sorely lacks is balance. I firmly believe that all three forms of the game can exist concurrently, as they attract both common and distinct groups of fans. Fans appreciate good quality cricket, in whatever form. The "less is more" adage will ultimately serve cricket into the future, as the game seeks to recapture "meaningful" contests. The cash grab of a crammed schedule is insidious. As great a survivor as cricket is, the game cannot be so precious and arrogant as to turn a blind eye to disenchanted fans. They are hard won and easily lost.
Vinay Verma
Roar Guru
Russ,I like the point you make about the narrative of cricket. In a comment to Eamonn I suggested more use of iconic figures like TTendulkar and also keeping the three formats distinct. The idea of a narrative needs to be carefully structured keeping in mind the demographics and what triggers their responses. Administrators,you are right, have not been challenged. In a way they have taken the spectators and the game for granted. More cricket people have to be in positions of power. Australia have some good ceos running State Cricket and there is the right mix of playing experience. However there is still a measure of politics involved. In the case of India 19 of the 27 State associations are run by politicians. The situation in England is not all rosy either. The Test playing county grounds are at odds with the non-test and weaker counties. Giles Clarke is enmeshed in two or three spats. And surprisingly the England team has never looked better. That I find is ironic. The only drawback to the franchise system is that it is (the IPL) underpinned by a ten year tv rights deal worth 1.3 billion. So rather than,as you suggest be free of the broadcaster's dictates, you become even more entangled and subservient to their bidding. The TV coverage of the IPL was crass and tawdry. But the fact remains the IPL as a brand is successful and it is now must see TV in prime time. Their narrative has stuck a chord in the viewing public. But will these viewers become converts to the longer form? I doubt it. The Test Championship is a must. Most of your other points are reasoned and the next FTP will give us an insight as to whether any lessons have been learnt. South Africa,India and England must all be given 5 test tours.India visits in 2011 and there is time to upgrade it to 5 Tests. Seeing as it may be the last time we see Tendulkar,Dravid and Laxman it would be worth it.
Russ
Guest
Vinay, good article and discussion. While I agree that cricket is rife with problems, I also think this is a very exciting time for cricket. The Packer business model that has reigned since the late 70s is being challenged by a franchise model that promises greater rewards for more cricketers, more cricket for local spectators, and greater competition and diversity than is possible in national competitions. There is a huge opportunity for the national boards to shake off the yoke of television company dicta, discard the meaningless contests that blight the game, and reshape cricket into a truly global sport. Unfortunately, there is also a paucity of leadership being shown by the dominant national boards, too interested in protecting the "brand" they've built up these past 30 years to try something better. I also don't agree with the idea that there is too much cricket. True, Australian cricketers plays up to 100 days per year, but that level of activity is typical for a sport without a high level of physical contact. What is absent from cricket, is a narrative structure. Individual sports like golf, tennis or cycling construct their season around major events and a ranking system for year-end honours. Team sports inevitably lead towards a trophy (or several) at the of a season. We, as spectators, buy into the narrative and the visceral emotional effect that narrative has on us as a season progresses and climaxes. Cricket has a few compelling narratives - the Ashes, the World Cups - but most tours are too short, too one-sided, too dependent on individual performance and statistical significance, and too common-place to care about. In a sense, because the game is capable of deep narrative, administrators have ignored the context other sports can't do without. I've blogged about this at length elsewhere, so I won't go on. There are several reforms I'd like to see happen to improve the narrative context and the financial stability of the game: - Acknowledge the primacy of domestic T20 as the financial driver of the sport, then fence it in. Set aside 24 weeks a year as windows for T20 domestic competition (February, May, August, November) reserving the height of summer for international cricket/ domestic first class cricket. - Institute a four year cycle for test cricket: marquee tours in year 1 and 3, regional championships (Northern, Southern, Asia) in year 2, world championships in year 4. Scrap the meaningless 2 and 3 test tours that dominate today. - Pare back international one-day cricket to the World Cups, and World Cup qualifiers (plus warm-ups). Institute regional championships to serve as qualification tournaments, thus allowing more associates to play against test teams without diluting the quality of the premier event. - Broaden the game. Give every side, full member or not, the chance to prove themselves at the top level. Let on-field performance determine if they are good enough to progress through a competition. The narrative of the underdog is often the most compelling, the narrative of the same 8 teams over and over less so.
Vinay Verma
Roar Guru
Eamonn, the common theme with most administrators and broadcasters is to milk the last dollar they can. Sport in its purest form as no money. When you mix commerce and cricket you sacrifice the purity for the profit. But you can only do it so much. There is ultimately what we call the law of diminishing returns. I am reasonably happy where cricket as a spectacle sits at the moment. There are three distinct forms and I believe in time these will be three distinct markets. Administrators have to be careful they do not try to intermarry. That would be the cricketing equivalent of incest. If all our elite cricketers still mouth the platitudes of Test Cricket and consider this the ultimate Test then they have to endorse it and people like Tendulkar and Ricky can influence public sentiment. The Boards should have these two players as the figureheads and the face of Test Cricket. Across newspapers,magazines,tv and internet. Brand Test Cricket can be revived and enhanced with a clear marketing strategy. When was the last time WeetBix put out a Ricky ponting figurine? The quirky Commonwealth Bank adds can be replaced with Ponting as the theme. Forget the Swisse cheese ,Ricky. You are the ambassador for Test Cricket. See the post above re energising the Sheffield Shield. Eamonn,if Ponting and Clarke and Johnson played Sheffield AND if each state was allowed a guest player like Tendulkar or Dravid or kallis and Pietersen would not you and I go and see them play. And if they played at North Sydney Oval I would be surprised if you did not get more than 5000. A lot better than the 50 we get. I don't have all the answers but my passion is undiminished. The fan craves context and a contest.
Vinay Verma
Roar Guru
Brian,you underestimate the power of the fans. We are past the stage of polite requests. We have to go in boots and all. We should all start with our respective boards. Should not the Spirit of the game apply to them. These boards are all,ostensibly,non-profit organisations. They pride themselves in saying they are mere custodians. Well it is time they became custodians for the greater good than just parochial interests. They all talk global but think local. Cricket has been very quick to sell to the highest bidder. There is no Free to air TV of Test matches in England. This must erode the fan base. The commitment of broadcasters is not necessarily to the sport. They take their pound of flesh first. Voiceovers and super-impositions during overs is a bane and does not enhance the viewing pleasure. The ABC and SBS should be entitled to show International cricket involving Australia. The IPL has a virtual natural window in March and April. It does not need any more concessions. It is also dependent on the largesse of other boards making their overseas players available. Australia and South Africa have not tested the IPL's resolve. They have just gone for the money. If Australian and South African players had a common front and said they will not go the IPL will cave in. The IPL without the overseas component becomes just another domestic and vastly inferior product. Their boards and players have been willing accomplices. The Stars may not bring thousand in to the Sheffield Shield but if they played at suburban grounds like North Sydney or Drumoyune or Bankstown and marketed it with all the stars then you would get 5000 plus.The will is simply not there. With Howard and Pawar at the helm I only expect more meetings and political horsetrading.
Rickety Knees
Roar Guru
Thanks Vinay - I have to give credit where it is due. Test Cricket has become much more exciting since the advent of the pyjama stuff. Batting is far more agressive especially as players are not nearly so intimidated by run chases and the quantum leap in the standard of fielding has been astonishing. But as we all agree - OD Cricket has been done to death and has become meaningless. 20/20 has captured the excitement that OD's once had.
Brian
Guest
Vinay Thanks for the response. The problem is the BCCI is unlikely to change due to fans requests. Money talks and us fans have been too lax. Each has focused on its national teams rather than the game. When the ICC decided to play the Champions Trophy, or play the 1991 World Cup in 1992 where was the outrage. How would FIFA go playing the next one in 2013? When NZ lost their best bowler to the ICL did anyone care. How many millions would the NRL or AFL spend to get their sports the level of interest cricket already has in NZ??? For way too long the interest of national boards has been put ahead of the game. This does come back to fans attitudes. The AFL are strategically expanding into NSW, FIFA strategically gave World Cups to Asia & Africa losing millions in revenue compared to European World Cups. Both have bundled their TV rights into these strategies to achieve their outcomes whilst respecting their fans (AFL Finals in September and World Cups every 4 years). Cricket has no strategy other than to sell itself to the highest bidder. For this to change the ICC needs control but how and why should the BCCI do it? Well there needs to be compromise, the IPL needs a window in exchange for greater ICC power but none of that can happen until people accept there is a problem. Leadership is needed and is in short supply. As fans we can only tune out of the meaningless contests and embrace those we want to keep. That is how the tri-series in Australia finally died. Eventually I think this is how ODI cricket will go. Eventually someone will see the IPL potential and turn it into an NBA style competition and want at least 6 months to play it in. This will bring cricket back - already I suspect Pollard is a millionaire.
Eamonn Flanagan
Guest
Vinay, I grew up watching the Windies belt the English in my school holidays and loved the one day tournaments. Arrived in Australia in 1990's to find I'd only turn the 50 over game on with an hour to go, and now I never do, ever. They are just like the Bledisloe, played too much who can remember one game from the next. Cricket is being overplayed in it's many forms. There wasn't that much interest, in my view, re:20/20 World Cup Final, given it was against England and a World Cup Final. As for Test Matches, nice around Xmas but do fans, apart from those really obsessed with the game, and there are many but not enough to sustain an increase in Test matches, really want more and more Tests across the calender, I think not. Apart from the die-hards can anyone remember details of Australia playing a Test in any country other than England. Simply too much sport, too much cricket and of course the 20/20 domestic boom is not yet near it's peak and that could decline in years to come as well once the novelty wears off....and what impact will that have on the five day game! It could well go the way of one day cricket at domestic level. Certainly the purists seem to think so. The Sheffield Shield gets amazing media coverage consider nobody ever goes. For a so called National Sport the domestic league and weekend attendances are pretty pathetic. And I don't think even Ricky and his mates would get thousands rolling in. Football has it's difficulties in Australia, Rugby Union also. Too much Bledisloe, too much A-League, and too much cricket in a crowded sports market. More games in more forms may suit TV but we don't have enough of a population to fill all the grounds yet. But if we get to the predicted 50 million all sports in all forms could survive!! Great article Vinay; interesting times for cricket in Australia and indeed for many sports as "seasonal" boundaries have moved beyond AFL in winter, cricket in Summer. What about the fan!
Akazie
Guest
Don't take much interest in cricket these days, there's just too much of it on TV I think, it started happening with me in the late 90's when I got Pay TV. Before then, I'd look forward to the upcoming cricket season after the footy, but these dyas with it being played for 12 months of the year and being available to watch whenever you like, it's just too much.
Vinay Verma
Roar Guru
Brian,this response is an article itself and I am afraid I will run out of bytes. But here goes. Yes,much like the ATP tour with the occasional tanking and the presence of the odd "recreational" drugs. However I tend to follow the main events like the Masters series and the Slams. The rivalry between Nadal and Federer is engrossing and these two are far and away the best on show. Yes the ECB and CA,aided and abetted by the old South Africa were no better than the BCCI. But that is no excuse for the BCCI to behave accordingly. I believe the BCCI ,because of its wealth,can actually do good for the World game. But their dallying over WADA beggars belief. Running the IPL2 without the Anti Corruption unit was questionable. I see too many lawyers,accountants and politicians in positions of power.There are different levels of justice for the less priviliged. I beg to differ on the subject of fans. Fans were presented with a decision they had no say in. World Cups since 1996 have been run and dictated to by the broadcasters. The billions in the game now largely come from TV rights revenue. If you take the devil's money you have to pay a price and this seems to be reduced quality until you get down to the business end. Much like the Slams. The first week is a warm up for the marquee match ups that follow. Maybe the ICC should be more like the EU. The current bailout of Greece could be a lesson for the various cricket boards. Perhaps the rich cricket boards should all pool some percentage into a kind of IMF for use to help struggling constituencies. If this had been available then maybe the West indies would not be struggling. India has propped up Sri lankan cricket for some years now and have disbursed a low interest loan. But the unspoken caveat is that Sri lanka are financially compromised. I would hope that the ICC is given more powers and the duopoly of Sharad Pawar and John Howard are held accountable. The fans in India shrug their shoulders and say "whats new" We,as fans,do have a say and that was the point of the article. We should make better use of the voice we have.