‘Big three’ bid to re-shape world cricket
Crucial ICC meeting in Dubai next week set to decide game’s future.
The draft proposal to be discussed at a two-day ICC board meeting in Dubai on January 28-29 calls for more decision making powers for a three strong group. PHOTO: REUTERS/FILE
LONDON:
Cricket’s power-brokers meet next week amid an apparent threat from India to withdraw from major global events unless there is radical reform of the International Cricket Council (ICC).
The draft proposal to be discussed at a two-day ICC board meeting in Dubai on January 28-29 calls for more decision-making powers for a three-strong group of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Cricket Australia (CA) and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) — who between them represent the game’s wealthiest nations.
The proposals need seven votes from the ICC’s 10 leading nations to pass.
Thursday saw the BCCI’s emergent working committee declare the proposal ‘in the interests of cricket at large’.
Criticism from other boards has so far largely been muted to complaints about a failure to follow procedure.
Both South Africa and Sri Lanka have called for the proposals to be deferred and taken off the table next week.
PCB chairman Ashraf reaches Dubai
As the ‘Big three’ plan to take control of the ICC’s financial and administrative matters, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Zaka Ashraf has said that he will only do what will be in the best interest of Pakistan.
The three countries have been lobbying for votes in their favour — they will need to secure majority to pass the resolution.
“I’ve been in daily contact with BCCI President Srinivasan about the issue, but I’ll only act in direction which will be in the interest of Pakistan,” Ashraf told reporters in Lahore before his departure to Dubai.
“ECB chairman Giles Clarke has also invited me for a dialogue, but as I said our first priority is the betterment of Pakistan cricket.”
Published in The Express Tribune, January 26th, 2014.
Cricket’s power-brokers meet next week amid an apparent threat from India to withdraw from major global events unless there is radical reform of the International Cricket Council (ICC).
The draft proposal to be discussed at a two-day ICC board meeting in Dubai on January 28-29 calls for more decision-making powers for a three-strong group of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Cricket Australia (CA) and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) — who between them represent the game’s wealthiest nations.
The proposals need seven votes from the ICC’s 10 leading nations to pass.
Thursday saw the BCCI’s emergent working committee declare the proposal ‘in the interests of cricket at large’.
Criticism from other boards has so far largely been muted to complaints about a failure to follow procedure.
Both South Africa and Sri Lanka have called for the proposals to be deferred and taken off the table next week.
PCB chairman Ashraf reaches Dubai
As the ‘Big three’ plan to take control of the ICC’s financial and administrative matters, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Zaka Ashraf has said that he will only do what will be in the best interest of Pakistan.
The three countries have been lobbying for votes in their favour — they will need to secure majority to pass the resolution.
“I’ve been in daily contact with BCCI President Srinivasan about the issue, but I’ll only act in direction which will be in the interest of Pakistan,” Ashraf told reporters in Lahore before his departure to Dubai.
“ECB chairman Giles Clarke has also invited me for a dialogue, but as I said our first priority is the betterment of Pakistan cricket.”
Published in The Express Tribune, January 26th, 2014.