MCC World Cricket
Committee
Approves application
submission to include Cricket in Olympics
Test Cricket Championship
should be every two years
Restrict the T20 Domestic
Leagues to save the test cricketers
Bat Size and DRS review
also discussed (Umpires call not lost the chance)
Current Line (London)
The MCC World Cricket committee
recommends ICC to submit application for inclusion of Cricket in Olympics 2024
for which ICC will submit application in September 2017.
Indian cricketing star
Saurave Ganguly opposed this as per his discussions and suggestions from BCCI
opposed it but other members in favor of inclusion oc Cricket in Olympics. MCC
cricket committee also approves new Cricket laws and recommends ICC for Impositions
on Domestic Cricket structure of member countries to restrict the domestic T20
leagues.
The next meeting will be
held in Sydney on 9 and 10 January under the new head Mike Getting
As per the MCC release
the following are the outcomes and decisions were taken in the two days meeting
·
Committee suggests rethink of
distribution model in international cricket
·
Sub-group formed in order to help
focus on protecting and sustaining the future of Test cricket
·
Tests recommended to remain five
days
·
Strong support for the inclusion
of cricket in the Olympic Games
·
Support for the ICC Cricket
committee’s changes to DRS
·
Charlotte Edwards to step down
from committee, to be replaced by Suzie Bates
·
Committee to take leadership on
sustainability in cricket
ICC
Chief Executive David Richardson, Cricket South Africa Chief Executive Haroon
Lorgat and current England player Jonny Bairstow were present for certain parts
of the meeting having been invited to address the committee.
MCC
Head of Cricket John Stephenson thanked outgoing Chairman Mike Brearley for his
outstanding contribution to the World Cricket committee. Brearley, who has
been part of the committee since its inception in 2006, replaced Tony Lewis as
Chairman in 2011.
Another
former England captain, Mike Gatting, will replace Brearley in the role in
October when his term comes to an end.
Stephenson said: “MCC is
rightfully proud of the accomplishments of the World Cricket committee under
Mike Brearley’s leadership, and his unquestioned wealth of cricket knowledge,
coupled with his humility and intellect, has made him a pleasure for everyone
on the committee and at MCC to work with.
"His
qualities are irreplaceable but the Club is fortunate to have in Mike Gatting
someone who will bring passion, enthusiasm and an equally extraordinary depth
of cricket knowledge to the role”.
Committee
suggests rethink of distribution model in international cricket
The
balance between bat and ball has long been a subject on the committee’s agenda,
but the balance between the better off and other leading cricketing nations is
arguably a bigger challenge. For international cricket to flourish, competitive
levels need to be close, and teams need to be able to field their best players.
The
committee is worried that with the spread of privately owned T20 leagues, and
the rapid increase in remuneration (recent and anticipated), more players,
especially from countries lacking the funds to pay their top players well, will
choose these domestic tournaments ahead of making themselves available for
their countries. T
he
more this happens, the greater the threat to international cricket, not only to
Test cricket, but also to ODIs and T20s.
The
committee believes that the current distribution model will, if unchanged, see
the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer. People now talk about the
need for a window for international and Test cricket, rather than a window for
domestic T20 leagues. What the committee suggests may prove to be too
idealistic; we are asking the richer countries to give up some funding in the
long-term interest of cricket as a whole.
Accountability
and governance in individual countries remain fundamental issues, and funds
must not be distributed without the right checks and balances in place, but
cricket could soon reach a point of no return. The game needs the best
cricketers playing international cricket and the current structure of the game
may not provide this.
Test Cricket
needs attention but should be celebrated
The
MCC World Cricket committee believes the game has not done enough to protect,
preserve and encourage Test cricket around the world. Test cricket is not
at crisis point, but in some parts of the world there is a perception that this
is the case.
The
committee is encouraged that ICC has once again proposed to introduce a World
Test Championship, to provide greater context and marketing opportunities for
the five day game, and offers its full support to launch this competition.
The
creation of a World Test League with a Championship Final every two years can
help the game to protect itself and sustain it into the future. Test match
cricket is still the greatest challenge in the sport; it is the ultimate stage,
and mentally the toughest format of the game to excel in. The sport needs to
celebrate its teams and players, and their achievements. At present, this
happens around the world in T20 and 50 over cricket, but less so in Test
cricket.
The
ICC recently confirmed that they are planning to conduct research into how the
game can make Test cricket more appealing and interesting to a wider audience.
The MCC World Cricket committee has offered to support the ICC in helping to
shape this research.
In
addition, the committee confirmed it will be forming a new sub-group, led by
incoming Chairman Mike Gatting, which will focus on what cricket lovers,
players and broadcasters most want from Test cricket.
For
instance, it is not clear how cricket-lovers would react to the idea of
four-day Tests. It will do this by speaking to current players about their own
views and broadcasters about their attitudes to Test cricket. It is hoped that
this research, together with consultation with ICC, will help contribute to the
future health of the longest form of the game.
The
Committee is aware of the gradual encroachment of domestic T20 leagues into
cricket’s schedule, and the threat this poses to Test cricket. Whereas a few
years ago ICC was willing to accept a window for the Indian Premier League, now
the question is: “do we need windows for Test cricket?”
The
Committee is well aware of the difficulties facing ICC in this and agree with
ICC’s efforts to create context for Test cricket, as described above and in
their encouragement of and experimentation with day-night Test matches. Other
suggestions include getting together with sponsors and broadcasters to make
every effort to fill grounds for Tests.
A
principal conclusion from the debate was that there must be efforts made to
reduce the earnings gap between playing Test cricket and gaining T20 contracts,
and between the earnings of Test cricketers in different countries. The
committee also believes that Test cricket needs to be built up and celebrated
for what it is. On the field, despite the difficulties, Test cricket has been vigorous,
robust and full of excellent cricket.
In
its last meeting in Mumbai, the committee was split down the middle on the
issue of whether to introduce four-day Tests. At Lord’s, the meeting was
strongly in favour of retaining five-day Test matches, though there was a
minority who would like to see four-day Tests tried out, perhaps in particular
for those in the day-night format.
Unified front
pivotal to Olympics cricket bid
The
MCC World Cricket committee maintains its strong support for the inclusion of cricket
to be included in the Olympic Games, having already affirmed its position on
the concept in previous meetings. The committee believes that now is the right
time for cricket to move in line with other major global sports and be played
in the Olympics, and understands that the vast majority of countries now fully
support this concept.
The
committee hopes ICC will present a unified front in applying to the 2024 host
city to include cricket in their games. The deadline to apply to the
International Olympic Committee for cricket’s inclusion passed in May 2017, so
communication now must be sought with the host city directly in order for
cricket to be included. The 2024 games are to be held in either Los Angeles or
Paris.
The
committee is encouraged that in recent years, many more figureheads within the
game have added their support to this movement. The committee believes that not
only will the global game benefit as a result of cricket being included in the
Olympics, but that each country will benefit in a great way, including within
India.
Charlotte
Edwards to be replaced by Suzie Bates on committee
In
line with the rotation policy of the MCC World Cricket committee, former
England captain Charlotte Edwards is stepping down from the committee. She was
the first Women’s cricket representative to sit on the group, and has served
for the past five years.
Edwards
made a statement to the committee outlining the successful evolution that
Women’s cricket has enjoyed over the past few years and detailing the fact that
the ICC Women’s Championship has been one of the many positive introductions to
Women’s cricket, including the Kia Super League and the Women’s Big Bash
League.
The
personal highlight of her time with the committee was the introduction of
Day-Night Test cricket, which the MCC World Cricket committee played an
instrumental role in introducing to the game, and she has no doubt that the
committee will continue to play a key role at being at the heart of every
decision made for the good of the game.
Edwards
will be replaced on the committee by New Zealand Women’s captain Suzie Bates.
The 29 year-old recently played her 100th one-day international for the White
Ferns in the ICC Women’s World Cup match with Australia at Bristol. She was
named Wisden’s leading Women’s cricketer in the world at the end of 2015 and is
among the first women from New Zealand to be have been able to consider
themselves a full-time cricketer.
Committee
supports concussion replacement trials
The
MCC World Cricket committee supports ICC’s recommendation that National
Governing Bodies be able to experiment with trials to allow fully participating
replacements following a concussion injury, without jeopardising first-class
status.
MCC
has studied this area very closely and decided not to alter the Laws of
Cricket, which apply to all levels of the game, to allow for concussion to be
treated differently from any other injury. The principle reasons for this
are:
•
Very few cricket matches are overseen by medically trained personnel capable of
diagnosing a concussion.
•
Umpires should not be placed in a situation of having to make a diagnosis.
•
The Laws allow a replacement player, with the opposing captain’s consent. It is
believed that, in amateur cricket at least, this would not normally be withheld
after a serious head injury.
•
In most cricket, a replacement player is likely to be weaker and so the
opposition captain is more likely to grant consent.
•
The trouble with finding a ‘like-for-like’ replacement.
The
benefits of allowing concussion replacements are that player welfare is looked
after and a player won’t feel forced to carry on, for the good of the team,
following a concussion.
A
concussed player cannot make a rational decision over his/her fitness to
play. In fact, a common symptom of concussion is a belief that you are not
injured. This is different from other injuries, where self-diagnosis is done.
The
committee calls for National Governing Bodies to ensure that players and
officials at all levels of the game are educated on the risks of
concussion. A ‘safety-first’ attitude towards suspected concussions
should be taken. MCC offers its support to work with any Governing Body
on the framing of playing regulations in this area and will continue to monitor
this area of the Law.
Technology in
Cricket
The
MCC World Cricket Committee supports the recent changes recommended by the ICC
Cricket committee to the Decision Review System. This reaffirms the support
which was proposed at its previous meeting, held in Mumbai last December.
The
ICC Cricket committee recommended that, when a side reviews an LBW that is
shown to be umpire’s call, it will remain not out but they won’t lose a review.
The MCC World Cricket committee had previously suggested this for reviews by
the fielding side, but ICC’s plans for the same principle to be applied to both
teams felt, on balance, to be the best solution.
Laws of Cricket
The
MCC World Cricket committee was pleased to hear that the ICC has agreed to
incorporate the vast majority of the Law changes into their Playing Regulations
from 1st October.
The
committee has had a considerable input into the shaping of the revised Laws and
was particularly delighted that the new limits to bat sizes and the ability to
send a player off for violent conduct will be part of the ICC’s new playing
regulations.
The
redrafting of the Laws has been a three-year process, involving a global
consultation and work of various MCC committees. The new Code replaces the 2000
Code, which had six editions in its 17-year lifespan.
Cricket should
lead on sustainability
The
MCC World Cricket committee believes cricket should recognise it has an impact
on the environment but also, importantly, that changes to the environment will
have a substantial impact on the global game and on cricket playing nations.
The
Committee recognises too that this subject is peripheral to its main remit, but
hopes that MCC continues to promote sustainable development and measures that
attempt to lessen climate change.
Next meeting
The
next meeting of the MCC World Cricket committee will take place in Sydney on
Tuesday 9th and Wednesday 10th January 2018.
Chairman PCB shahryar
khan who has to complete his three year tenure on 8th of August has dissolved
the BOG after the 45th and last meeting in his presiding, and new
BOG and election process of New Chairman
should complete by the Chief Election Commissioner Justice (R) Iqbal Haider in
the coming week. Najam Sethi who was nominated by the (EX PM and Pattern in
chief PCB Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif) is fully confident that there would no
effect of the decision on PCB affairs and PCB should be smooth in its working as
per its constitution.
