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Well, it looks like the International Cricket Council is finally getting somewhere. In less than a week, the organisation has not only hinted that there could be a qualification window open to the Associate nations for the 2015 edition of the World Cup in Australia/New Zealand, but it’s also hinted that it could get rid of the otherwise pointless Champions Trophy tournament as well. Hurrah.
With the greatest respect, I think that the Roar’s old colleague Vinay would be impressed to see such intent to streamline the cumbersome international calendar.
The old Champions Trophy – called the ICC Knockout when it started in 1998 – was usually hosted by an Associate nation, and revenue raised went back into developing the sport world-wide.
Admirable stuff.
Somehow that got skewed into a prototype format now used for the Twenty20 World Cup and showed up the lunacy of adding teams like the United States in 2004 ahead of more dependable regulars such as Holland and Ireland.
Anyway, we can but rejoice that the ICC has some clear-head thinking at last on the tournament. England is due to hold the 2013 Champions Trophy, but may simply end up with the World Test Championship decider at Lord’s that year instead.
ICC chief executive officer Haroon Lorgat was quoted on CricInfo.com on March 6 as saying that he wants to see a single international championship for each format of cricket.
“We’re trying to work towards a pinnacle event in each format,” Lorgat told reporters in Chennai.
“So if we’re looking to our next cycle, we might think definitely about the Champions Trophy.”
Keep in mind that the new Test and One-Day Championship series, initially rolling between 2011 and 2014 will further complicate matters.
Even worse is the fact that the ICC will not force countries to meet in the ODI Championship in both home and away fixtures – only home or away, according to a CricInfo report by Sharda Ugra on March 4.
That was done to placate – surprise, surprise – India, which still refuses to host certain countries because it’s not in their financial interest to do so.
India is yet to host Bangladesh for a Test match, even though the Tigers have been playing at Test level for a decade.
“There are some series that are bigger than others,” said Lorgat.
“India can choose to go and play Bangladesh in Bangladesh – if they happen to lose, that’s the result, but that choice is up to the member [nations].”
It’s that kind of stuff that makes the continued participation of second-tier nations in the ODI World Cup all the more important.
Maybe Ireland won’t get Test status during the next Test Championship phase, but what about after 2015, particularly if they can prove themselves at that year’s Cup?
They may yet get a chance to do so. Ugra wrote that the ICC is scheduled to meet in May to work out a way to make its new 10-team World Cup work. Lorgat said the deal looks like being a qualifying phase before the main tournament – not ideal but better than nothing.
Suggestions for the amount of Test nations that should be given automatic entry varies from five to eight, with the remaining countries forced to play off against the best six Associates for the right to be at the prestigious event.
Let’s say, for the sake of interest and kicking off discussion, that the top eight teams are included. That leaves the bottom two ODI-ranked Test nations – at this stage of the 2011 tournament that would most likely be Zimbabwe and Bangladesh.
Those two countries would then be required to meet Ireland, Holland, Canada, Kenya, Afghanistan and Scotland – preferably at an Associate venue – to determine the final two World Cup spots.
I’d like it. Not as much as a 12-team tournament, but I’d like it.
There would still be hope for any Associate nation – if they’re good enough, they’d get that World Cup opportunity they desire.
“They have obviously been disappointed because the more teams you make, the more teams can play, but that’s not top competition,” Lorgat said of the Associates’ reaction to the 10-team Cup format.
“You are always going to get a diverse view in terms of what is opportunity and what is competition, because you can’t have both. If you provide opportunity, you’re going to get some teams who are less competitive.”
Lorgat then produced an even greater howler – stating that the Twenty20 World Cup, increased to 16 teams, was a better tournament for the Associates to take part in because the shortest format in cricket “lent itself to competition”.
Then there’s the usual guff about Test nations probably not liking being roped in with the lower-ranked sides. In my opinion, tough.
So what? If the Associates have to be made to earn their place, so can a few others above them for a change.
It might even do a few teams some humble good to know what it feels like to scramble for those World Cup places every four years.
Once more, though, the question should be put to the ICC CEO – since when has World Cup participation been best decided on at a board meeting, rather than via proper competition that gives everyone a fair and structured chance to grab one-day cricket’s ultimate prize?
Even going by the ODI rankings as they stand would make more sense, so long as the Associate teams were permitted to have just as many fixtures playing against top-tier opponents as anyone else.
Such a democratic process may be a dream for now, but it sounds like there’s some movement in the minds of ICC officials. The cogs are turning.
Slowly.
Let’s hope there’s plenty of cans of WD-40 in the office in two months’ time…
A WORLD CUP QUALIFYING FORMAT (based on group standings as of March 7, 2011)
AUTO-ENTRY: Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Australia, India, England, West Indies, South Africa, New Zealand
QUALIFYING SERIES (held, say, in Ireland…)
GROUP A: Ireland, Zimbabwe, Canada, Afghanistan
GROUP B: Bangladesh, Holland, Kenya, Scotland
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