ICC considering 12 teams for next World Cup

D3PO

As I suspected they are likely to roll back

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci-icc/content/current/story/509467.html

d'Oracle

Potentially brilliant news.

Space will be watched.

Royale with Cheese

I think 12 is the right number. There were too many dead games at this world cup.

I heard a few weeks back though that the 10 team 2015 tournament was set in stone and it would cost the ICC a fortune to change its structure. I'm not sure it was ever explained why it'd cost so much to change things?

barrera

No, the complete pr1cks at the ICC have gone one worse: ten teams, with no qualification for associates. Is there a more corrupt and inward looking institution in world sport (and they have a lot of competition for that title)

Cremated

We have two Champions Trophy tournaments now, Haroon Lorgat please f**k off...

Mongarra

So, which of the articles is the later one?

I don't think it will matter really, because the ICC will not follow logic, as they have proved countless times before. The 10-team announcement was probably before the 12-team one given their past record.

D3PO

Mongarra wrote: »

So, which of the articles is the later one?

I don't think it will matter really, because the ICC will not follow logic, as they have proved countless times before. The 10-team announcement was probably before the 12-team one given their past record.

Barrera's one is later. What a pile of F*****G B****X

ICC are a joke

super_furry

So that's that then. Ten test teams with NO qualification until 2019.

mike65

Is anyone surprised, the Indian CB have been agitating on this for a while.

A statement following the meeting read: "The executive board confirmed their decision, made in October 2010, that the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 in Australia and New Zealand and the ICC Cricket World Cup in England in 2019 will be a 10-team event.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2011/apr/04/icc-cricket-world-cup

"The board agreed that the 2015 World Cup will comprise the existing 10 full members, however, they gave notice to all full members that participation in the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup will be determined on the basis of qualification. It was also agreed that post the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 there will be promotion and relegation introduced in the ODI League."

KevIRL

Congrats to the ICC on effectively killing cricket in Ireland.

What a bunch of deplorable cnuts

spiralism

Cricket in Ireland will be on its deathbed in 8 years at the absolute best after this decision so the 2019 promise isn't worth a sh*te.

KevIRL

I reckon a letter writing/email campaign needs to start pronto

spiralism

KevIRL wrote: »

I reckon a letter writing/email campaign needs to start pronto

I agree, been in the process of drafting a complaint letter to the ICC since I heard. Might be no harm getting the issue mentioned on Joe Duffy tomorrow, spread the outrage to a wider audience?

KevIRL

spiralism wrote: »

I agree, been in the process of drafting a complaint letter to the ICC since I heard. Might be no harm getting the issue mentioned on Joe Duffy tomorrow, spread the outrage to a wider audience?

I abhor Joe Duffy, so would say no to that. However letters/mails should be sent also to Guardian, BBC, Telegraph, Aussie Papers, Sky. Everyone possible essentially

looseygoosey

cricket is sooooooooo BORING!!
I wouldnt mind but its not even skilfull to make up for its boringness,such a backward game if there ever was one

reb73

A very regressive move by the ICC (not that they are known for progressive ones anyway).

But, with the 2015 tournament due to be hosted in Aus/NZ, was the Asian-bloc totally to blame? The likes of England certainly do not seem to want Ireland/Netherlands mixing with them in the WC - a bigger push by Eng/Aus/SA/NZ to have a 12 team tournament wouldn't have resulted in this scenario..

looseygoosey

reb47 nobody cares coz cricket is a useless game

KevIRL

reb73 wrote: »

But, with the 2015 tournament due to be hosted in Aus/NZ, was the Asian-bloc totally to blame? The likes of England certainly do not seem to want Ireland/Netherlands mixing with them in the WC - a bigger push by Eng/Aus/SA/NZ to have a 12 team tournament wouldn't have resulted in this scenario..

Agree a lot with this. I think its very important that any campaign by Cricket Ireland and its suporters has to target these countries media as well

TrueDub

looseygoosey banned for trolling.

spiralism

KevIRL wrote: »

Agree a lot with this. I think its very important that any campaign by Cricket Ireland and its suporters has to target these countries media as well

All equally to blame imo, they don't want their tightly knit test clique broken

SSK

Gutted, just gutted

I can't believe the ICC can't see the value Ireland bring to the World Cup...giant-killing, young exciting players like Dockrell and Stirling, two of the fastest centuries in WC history, the potential for a massive ex-pat following in OZ/NZ in 4 years time.

By making this decision they are giving the two-fingers to players who over the past few years have become tremendous ambassadors for both their sport and their country both at home and abroad.

It will be very hard for cricket to survive even at the levels it is at now (full time players, goodwill and sponsorship at an all time high etc.) with no WC on the horizon for at least 8 years. Shame on the ICC :mad:

sgb

It is a poor decision for Ireland and other associate country's I have not heard or read of any argument in favour of this new format (the ten test playing country's only)

ormond lad

Its a poor decision for Ireland and the other associate country's, how on earth do they expect to grow the game globally by shutting out the most successful associate nations?
below are the reactions of some of the irish players to the decision on twitter

Gary Wilson: What is going on? Excuse the French but that is a sh*t decision! Not a world cup now, just a trophy with 10 teams. Heads up their own a***s
Paul Stirling: @gwilson14 Didn't think u cud get a worse decision than ure lbw gainst the windies... I stand corrected ha!
Trent Johnston: The ICC have certainly made my decision to retire after the 2012 T/20 World Cup very easy, thanks for the memories... #cricket #icc.
Boyd Rankin: Thanks ICC!! What does Irish cricket got to do?? Shambles!!
William Porterfield: Trying to compensate it with 16 teams in the T20, is that cuz they make more dollars by having a few more teams in this format by any chance!!#icc
Niall O'Brien: mate just got of the field and I'm gutted with this news! This could halt the progress of irish cricket beyond repair. So sad now
Barry Chambers (media manager): ICC - no morals - no sense of fair play or natural justice. They are a disgrace and unfit to govern

HonalD

sgb wrote: »

It is a poor decision for Ireland and other associate country's I have not heard or read of any argument in favour of this new format (the ten test playing country's only)

I reckon the main reason for this is the ICC wants to have no dead-beat matches (in their opinion). However, if there are 2 groups of 5 there will always be matches that won't effect the outcome assuming that the top 2 quaify for semis or would they have 8 out of 10 qualifiying for quarter finals!

I think a campaign to change the name of tournment to "ICC Cricket (Test Playing Nations Only) Cup" could work - To brand it as a World Cup would be misleading. Do we have a lawyer here to advise?

Pauleta

Its despicable. I feel their should be an on field protest at the T20 World Cup.

KevIRL

HonalD wrote: »

I reckon the main reason for this is the ICC wants to have no dead-beat matches (in their opinion). However, if there are 2 groups of 5 there will always be matches that won't effect the outcome assuming that the top 2 quaify for semis or would they have 8 out of 10 qualifiying for quarter finals!

The fukk up by the ICC was having too many teams get through to the knock outs. Make it just 2 to go through from each group and the vast majority of games this time would have had something at stake.

Should be 12 teams next time out - The top 2 in each group through to the semis. The bottom team in each group has to qualify the following time round. Means something at stake in all games, and also gives a big incentive to the associates as they could avoid having to qualify altogether.

actwithoutwords

This is truly hateful. I'm so angry I can barely begin to describe it. I can't imagine what the players must be feeling. If an international sporting organisation has made a decision that's brought the integrity of their sport into disrepute more than this I'd like to hear it. Shocking.

d'Oracle

HonalD wrote: »

I reckon the main reason for this is the ICC wants to have no dead-beat matches (in their opinion). However, if there are 2 groups of 5 there will always be matches that won't effect the outcome assuming that the top 2 quaify for semis or would they have 8 out of 10 qualifiying for quarter finals!

I don't think this is the reason at all.

Haroon Lorgat is an account.
They are counting the beans.

They are horrible horrible slimey ****ers.
Let them rot.
Let them and their mouthy-**** captains of their precious test teams rot

DonRosco

Pretty deflationary decision. I'd love to know the politics of it, who's responsible, and who was sticking up for the associates. It's just naked self interest and transparent greed, really, and it's very disappointing. These clowns make Fifa look good.

I will say one thing, at least it's only one world cup and they seem to have some kind of plan after that for the associates to qualify. One world cup is still a lot of years though. I dearly hope it doesn't set us back too much.

ArmaniJeanss

KevIRL wrote: »

The fukk up by the ICC was having too many teams get through to the knock outs. Make it just 2 to go through from each group and the vast majority of games this time would have had something at stake.

Should be 12 teams next time out - The top 2 in each group through to the semis. The bottom team in each group has to qualify the following time round. Means something at stake in all games, and also gives a big incentive to the associates as they could avoid having to qualify altogether.

Even 3 qualifying from each group would have been good in the last/next World Cup.
Group winners go through to semi-final, 2nd and 3rd in each opposing group play each other in quarter finals.
So there'd be a decent reward for winning the group, and three teams qualifying would likely lead to less dead rubbers.

af_thefragile

Wow that's some properly **** news!!!

I was getting all excited here seeing how cricket was becoming popular in Ireland since Ireland's pretty descent performance in the World Cup and had big hopes for Ireland to only do better in the next WC, maybe qualify into the next round.

But this new decision from the ICC has ruined any such chances and made the future of cricket in Ireland very bleak...

I second the notion that we need to publicly protest this decision by ICC to not let Ireland play in the next WC. Hopefully the ICC can change their mind.

Maybe if Ireland does well in the T20 WC, it could change minds as well...


Whatever happens, the people shouldn't lose hope and the guys should keep at it at improving their game and make sure cricket stays popular in this country!!

me-skywalker

Just read the news after seeing it on SSN. Shocking shocking.
For a sport that imo, among my own friends at least, is growing in huge popularity. This si terrible news and can only set the ICC back a few years in a tough time for icreasing popularity and exposure.

Pauleta

Get onto our new minister of sport Leo Varadkar. He has an Indian father so hopefully a love of cricket is in the family

http://www.leovaradkar.ie/?page_id=4

Harps

Just heard the news now, truly depressing and disgusting news. What more can you say...

myflipflops

Not shocking at all but truly disgraceful.

The BCCI and the ECB should be ashamed of themselves. The whole thing is a money fueled sham.

Look at the improvements Ireland has made in just a couple of short years of having 10-15 full time players? Imagine what we could achieve with another 10 years of that improving structure and the increased exposure the sport will now get?

I lived in the Carribbean for a year recently and I can tell you that cricket is a dying sport out there. They have no interest in it - it's all basketball and football. The current decline of West Indian cricket is a terminal one. Zimbabwe are another country to have moved drastically backwards in the previous decade. Why are these organisations - performing poorly, shambolically run and with gloomy futures ahead - getting supported while the fast develloping nation gets screwed??

A disgrace, a complete and utter disgrace.

Lapin

I see that Sir Ronnie Flanagan (former chief constable of the PSNI and RUC) has been appointed as head of the ICC's anti corruption unit.

I suggest he uses this role to investigate his own employers.



I actually laughed when I saw the "Anti Corruption" heading on the ICC website.

randomer

myflipflops wrote: »

Not shocking at all but truly disgraceful.

This is a truly shocking decision. A ten team tournament was expected, but the qualification process that has been put in place is a huge shock.

I was hoping for a qualification process that would allow associate nations compete with the lower ranked test nations in order to qualify for the tournament.

The worst case that I expected was for qualification to be based on the ICC ODI rankings. Although Ireland are currently 10th in the rankings, this qualification method would allow the ICC to give Zimbabwe every opportunity to leap frog Ireland into 10th place, thereby qualifying.

But to eliminate teams such as Ireland from the 50 Over Cricket World Cup four years in advance because they don't play test cricket is simply bizarre. The backlash has been very strong so far, and hopefully it will get stronger.

Michael Vaughan and Andrew Flintoff have both described the decision as a disgrace via twitter. This article (http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci-icc/content/current/story/509549.html) on the Cricinfo website has over 300 comments, none of them in favor of the ICC decision.

I am looking forward to seeing how the worlds leading players will react to the announcement over the coming days, especially the Indian players who have made some very positive comments about Irish Cricket in the past few weeks. Michael Clarke spoke out prior to the decision being announced in favor of the associate nations. I wonder if he will make another statement given this decision.

This story has a long way to run. Lets hope Cricket Ireland can get some big names behind them in an effort to have this ludicrous decision overturned.

myflipflops

randomer wrote: »

This is a truly shocking decision. A ten team tournament was expected, but the qualification process that has been put in place is a huge shock.
.

I made it about 80% chance of the ICC introducing a closed shop so it was not a massive surprise/shock. The BCCI thinks only with their pockets and they control the game because they control the money.

Shame on the ECB and Cricket Australia for letting it (or encouraging it?) happen.

randomer wrote: »

I was hoping for a qualification process that would allow associate nations compete with the lower ranked test nations in order to qualify for the tournament.
.

You were hoping for common sense and fairness to win out so. A 4 team qualification tournament (Bangladesh and Zimbabwe facing the top 2 associates who qualify from a larger tournament) would have been the sensible decision for all parties involved. Everyone involved in cricket around the world could bee this apart from the people making the decisions.

'Spincricket' summed up the lack of sense when tweeting:

So you can throw matches or have an admin that threatens players and you're fine. But show improvement and the ICC kick you out. Weird world

EDIT:

randomer wrote: »

I am looking forward to seeing how the worlds leading players will react to the announcement over the coming days, especially the Indian players who have made some very positive comments about Irish Cricket in the past few weeks.
.

This is an interesting point. Andrew Miller has good piece on Cricinfo about the decision. He basically says that the timing of the announcement is very smart as India will be completely distracted with what happened on Saturday. It's supporters who took a shine to Ireland will be celebrating and it;s players fulfilling duties before starting the IPL. It's a good time to go under the radar in India.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/509570.html

Mongarra

I was so incensed by the decision I decided to wait until I had calmed down before posting. It hasn't worked.

Talk about the tail wagging the dog. This new tournament, the ICC Members' Cup or whatever it is - certainly not a World Cup - deserves the support it will get - 10 countries for and 95 against. Obviously it is about money and none of the 10 full members want to divide the cake in more slices, but their tunnel vision means they cannot see the potential for increased revenue if 95 other countries have the opportunity to qualify for what should be their showpiece. To try and fob all 95 off with the promise of allowing the plebs of cricket qualify for a 20-team T20 is an insult and is only an attempt at clouding the issue.

Warren Deutron is one of a 6-man committee of Chief Executives from Associate Nations and listening to him with Des Cahill this morning didn't give me much hope of any change in the ICC position. If someone like him who has right of attendance, but no vote, at ICC meetings, is only 50/50 at best hopeful of a change, then I think there is little chance of any campaign having a positive outcome.

That is not to say I am defeatist and will just roll over and accept the ICC decision, but to be realistic it is going to take some massive campaign to make them even consider a review of their idiocy.

d'Oracle

I hope the next world cup is the irrelevant trash-heap it deserves to be.

Edit: I wonder if Hamish Marshall will still want to play for us now?

kilns

Surely they can challenge this to Court of Sports Arbitration.

Even to challenge the brand of the World Cup. A world cup is a competition where all teams have an equal chance of competing in. Even in the Rugby world cup, so many teams try to qualify no matter how small

But at the end of the day, money talks and they are protecting their own interests. Plus England are not going to complain when they can snap up the likes of Dockrell and any other decent young player coming through

d'Oracle

kilns wrote: »

Surely they can challenge this to Court of Sports Arbitration.

Even to challenge the brand of the World Cup. A world cup is a competition where all teams have an equal chance of competing in. Even in the Rugby world cup, so many teams try to qualify no matter how small

But at the end of the day, money talks and they are protecting their own interests. Plus England are not going to complain when they can snap up the likes of Dockrell and any other decent young player coming through

Dockrell is/was going anyway.
This will just makes it more important to him.

TBH, unless this goes down, we may as well go back to the ECB with our tails between our legs looking for some county cricket. Its horrible to say, but what's the point? This floats and international cricket is dead to me.

Spirit of my arse.

Fratton Fred

d'Oracle wrote: »

I hope the next world cup is the irrelevant trash-heap it deserves to be.

Edit: I wonder if Hamish Marshall will still want to play for us now?

I would like to see players boycott the world cup in protest.

This is one of the most ridiculous things I've head from the ICC.

Noo

I love how the most controversial announcement in recent ICC times can't be found anywhere on their official website. I'm tempted to email them telling them that I was devastated to hear the news that associates are cut from the world cup but relieved to see that it was only a rumour as there is no record of this on their website.

They have tonnes of news updates from today and the last few days so there is no excuse. Just want to see what theyve to say for themselves.

edit: Theres a tiny bit thats just passed over in one article and thats it. No reasoning for it either

d'Oracle

Fratton Fred wrote: »

I would like to see players boycott the world cup in protest.

This is one of the most ridiculous things I've head from the ICC.

They won't though.
Its about them and the reality is that if we aren't there, it will still be about them.

Boycotting the WC because the minnows aren't in would be mental.

Its telling that Freddie and Vaughn came out in criticism yet nobody out of the England playing staff, not even Morgan, have said a thing in anger....

Cremated

If anyone feels like signing this,

http://www.petitiononline.com/wc2015/petition.html ...

ClareVisitor

This is a ridiculous decision, talk about shooting themselves in the foot. I don't see how limiting the tournament to the same old teams (especially considering Zimbabwe are ranked below Ireland) achieves anything positive apart from some short-term extra money for those taking part.

loosecannon

They're getting a bit of a Movement going on the official Cricket Ireland Facebook Page

Answer the poll and recommend the page to your mates as the more fans they get the better position they're in to put something across...

www.facebook.com/cricketire

ormond lad

Ireland coach slams ICC's 'despicable' decision

Tuesday, 5 April 2011 19:31
Ireland coach Phil Simmons has added his voice to the growing condemnation of the International Cricket Council's 'despicable' decision to exclude associate nations from the 2015 World Cup.

Ireland captain William Porterfield and chief executive Warren Deutrom led the outpouring of emotion and disappointment yesterday after the ICC's executive board resolved to cut the next edition of the tournament to 10 teams and hand automatic qualification to all full member nations.

That means the likes of Ireland, who are currently ranked 10th ahead of Zimbabwe, have no chance to build on the positive aspects of their 2011 campaign - which saw Simmons' men capture the public imagination with their defeat of England as well as pushing the West Indies and Bangladesh close.


As a former West Indies Test player, Simmons can see the situation from both sides and he is convinced the move, which puts sides like his own into World Cup exile for a minimum of eight years, is wrong.

Simmons said: 'It is a dark day for cricket but a great day for greed and fear.

'It is hard to find words to describe this despicable decision made by some who want to keep things among themselves and some who fear us.

'There can be no cricketing reasons for this decision, as we answered the cricket question, the television rating question and we are the 10th-ranked nation in the world. What else is needed?

'I'm afraid the next World Cup will be like the American World Series - you are crowned World Champions but the world did not take part - congratulations to India on winning the last real World Cup.

'Finally - congratulations to ICC for pulling the game we love back 10 years.'

A Cricket Ireland statement confirmed they are actively pursuing ways in which the decision can be challenged.

It read: 'The decision was ratified, not surprisingly, by the full members themselves, who have shown themselves to be unfit for purpose or governance.

'Ireland are currently in discussions with their fellow associates and affiliates about the avenues of action left open to them following the shameful ruling by ICC.'
rte

Hayte

Porterfield was the best captain in the 2011 World Cup to be honest and Ireland generally were one of the top 2 fielding sides, if not the top fielding side. The team needs a couple more innings builders with the bat and at least 1 more bowler that is Dockrell/Johnston class. Also you need Johnston to be about 5 years younger because at his age hes not gonna be around for the next World Cup.

The problem with handing out test status is that it doesn't make sense unless you have a solid domestic first class structure. If you don't have this then you won't be producing players that can compete at test level. Both Zimbabwe and Bangladesh suffer for this because their domestic first class cricket is in disarray and has been for a while. Their test sides are pretty much international punching bags for other sides to bring up their batting/bowling averages and wicket hauls. Then again, we aren't talking about test cricket, we are talking about one day international so I'm not sure why test status even means a fig when it comes to the World Cup.

You won't see many English folk or Aussies kicking up a stink over this because it frankly won't make any difference. The only voice that carries weight is that of the BCCI and the PCB because they hold by the biggest cricket viewership block by a long long way. I mean the India/Pakistan semi final clocked a billion viewers and you can guess which countries had the most people tuning in.

So no, they don't give a damn if Ireland or the Netherlands or any associate team doesn't ever develop beyond what they are at now, because they will for better or worse chase the viewership figures and the associated advertising and sponsorship revenues. The only thing more messed up than real politics unfortunately is cricket politics.

I'm a pomme and Ireland has my vote for inclusion in the next world cup. I'll sign any petition I can find to that effect. The Ireland/England game was one of the most exciting matches of the tournament (though for me it was for all the wrong reasons. )

thebaz

such a conservative short sited decision - its like in rugby , if the 6 N kicked out Italy - yet one of the best games from recent 6N was Italy v France - shame on the cricket board - certainly helps to lose many recent converts to the game , including myself