In its bid to promote the traditional version of the game in the age of Twenty20 cricket,ICC is contemplating of introducing a Test league from where top four teams would qualify for a quadrennial play-off event to begin in 2013.
Apart from the Test play-off,the ICC Chief Executives Committee (CEC),which assembled for a two-day meeting that concluded on Tuesday,also recommended an ODI league from next year.
The Future Tours Programme (FTP) should consist of a Test league to provide context for all Test matches. The league would determine the top four teams to qualify for an ICC Test play-off. The play-off should be held once every four years to determine the Test champion team with a request to hold the first such play-off in 2013, the ICC said in a statement.
The FTP should also consist of a ODI league,the first to run from April 2011 until April 2014,culminating in the crowning of an ODI league champion. This would run separate to the ICC Cricket World Cup, it said.
The CEC also recommended that the games governing body should consider a 10-team format for ICCs flagship event,the Cricket World Cup,from 2015 and 16-team format for the mens World Twenty20 from 2012. The committee also recommended the introduction of Twenty20 International rankings.
I am really excited by what the CEC has proposed. Restructuring international cricket is a significant strategic challenge and one that must be dealt with. I am grateful to the CEC and its working group for making such far-reaching proposals to tackle this important issue, ICC CEO Haroon Lorgat said.
Protecting and promoting all three formats at international level is viable and I believe the CEC has shown itself to be forward thinking in tackling the challenges, Lorgat added.
During the two-day meeting,the CEC also discussed the need to ensure a fair balance between bat and ball in a Test match and approved a revised guideline to the ICC Pitch and Outfield Monitoring Process.
In recent years there have been many more results in Test matches but there are still a few instances where the pitches do not provide a fair balance between bat and ball. This must be addressed to ensure that the enduring charm and attraction of Test match cricket is not endangered by pitches which do not produce a true contest, Lorgat said.
The CEC also said that it continues to support the promotion of Test cricket by promoting initiatives to enhance play. In this regard,the CEC also received a clarification from ICC General Manager (Cricket),David Richardson on the question of when players should leave the field due to bad light. There is a clear instruction to match officials that the players should only go off the field when conditions are considered dangerous or unreasonable. In addition,players should not go off the field when the ground floodlights are switched on and these were deemed before the series to be adequate, Richardson said.
The CEC also received a detailed progress report on the preparation of next years World Cup.
ICC to review measures
The ICC on Tuesday termed the recent spot-fixing allegations involving Pakistani players as a warning and said it will recommend a wide-ranging and,if necessary,independent review of the current anti-corruption measures to maintain the integrity of the sport.
In a statement issued after a meeting of Chief Executives Committee (CEC),Lorgat said the governing body would try to engage governments in its bid to tackle curruption in the game. It is not enough that the ICC is regarded by other sporting organisations as a leader in the battle against corruption in sport. We must continue to assess and,where necessary,improve our processes. The recent allegations have reminded everyone of the need to remain vigilant and to ensure public confidence in our sport, Lorgat said.
CEC has wisely recommended a thorough review of all our procedures and protocols and that is something which is already underway. I am especially keen to engage with governments to consider the regulation of betting and also to consider the accreditation of player representatives or agents, he said.
Reaffirming ICCs zero-tolerance stance against any form of corruption,the committee supported ICC’s decision to provisionally suspend Salman Butt,Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif.