C(r)ash in cricket

We are well into the Cricket World Cup in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh — by all accounts it would seem that the organisation is very good — unlike the Commonwealth Games earlier.

Haroon Lorgat opened his stance on the World Cup very early on calling for reduced Cricket World Cup in 50-over format. There are currently 16 teams in this tournament, which started February 19 to April 2. A long tournament wouldn’t you think? Against the backdrop of T20 tournaments around the world, the T20 World Cup and then the IPL … what the Club Championships?

So in this time of economic struggle could it be that the ICC is looking to cash in on extended TV time and sponsors of the tournament. Then we look at the make-up of the tournament, the 16 teams. We have world cricket powers and we have minnows. I will leave it to you for now to develop who belongs to what title. Suffice to say the minnows came out very strongly in opposition to the CEO’s statement. Why?

We have seen Ireland shock the cricket world, once off, but besides this those conventionally defined as minnows have been blown off the cricket oval to all accounts. I believe that West Indies, Zimbabwe, Bangladesh and Kenya are in the “no-man’s land” of super power or minnow so we are actually dealing with the Canadas, Netherlands and Irelands (sorry men, one match doesn’t make a super power) of the cricket world. Is Haroon Lorgat right? Is Bangladesh getting bowled out for 59 against the West Indies doing anything for the development of cricket in Bangladesh? I would think not. What value in cash terms does such a result offer the credibility of the Cricket World Cup.

The ICC has a mandate as the main office-bearer of cricket to spread the game. To do this they do need cash I understand, running a six-week tournament where the objective of spreading the game is superficial and once-off and the teams are getting demolished and embarrassed — a so-called “crash” of world cricket in a time where crashes are commonplace. In T20, likened for me to Sevens Rugby where what country you come from plays a limited role — T20 as much as some purists of cricket hate it, is the place where the ICC has an opportunity to grow the game where we can mobilise children into a snapshot of this wonderful game.

To have a sport type “Crash” on the premium stage of the 50-over game will eventually lead the sponsors and the TV rights to gravitate to the T20 format and it is does nothing for an 11-year-old boy in Bangladesh as an aspiring cricketer to want his national cricket jumper watching his team getting “crashed”. So is it the Crash to the Cash or the other way round. How we keep cricketers in the game to the most pure form, the Test-match version is not as hard as some might feel, it is called a contract, which is a salary for representing your country.

I do believe the ICC is trying its best, perhaps more successful in some areas and less in others. It presents a body that is realising more measurable success of its mandate. Long may the game grow!