BCCI working committee to discuss ICC draft

The BCCI has convened an emergent working committee meeting in Chennai on January 23 to discuss the "position paper" that recommends an overhaul of the ICC administration.

Though the meeting notice circulated last week didn't spell out the agenda, BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel confirmed the meeting would discuss the draft proposal that will wrest most of ICC's powers into the hands of the triumvirate of the BCCI, CA and the ECB.

"The meeting has been summoned to apprise and get the working committee's nod for pushing BCCI's case of getting more revenue from ICC's earnings, as bulk of it is generated by the BCCI," Patel told the Telegraph, a Kolkata-based daily.

Since the BCCI is one of the key stakeholders of the "position paper" drafted by a "working group" of the ICC's Finance & Commercial Affairs (F&CA) committee, the members feel the meeting will be a mere formality to confirm BCCI's support to the proposal. Most of the BCCI members and officials didn't have a clue about the top bosses being involved in such discussions with CA and ECB for the last six months. However, since the proposed draft offers to boost BCCI's coffers and thus offer more money to its affiliates, no working committee member is likely to oppose the proposal.

"Some members may seek clarity on the financial model but in principle, there is no reason for anyone to oppose the proposal. If it means that bilateral tours could impact to a great extent in the coming years, so be it," a former BCCI office-bearer said.

The proposal is due to be put to the ICC Executive Board at its quarterly meeting in Dubai on January 28-29. The proposals would need seven votes out of ten to pass. However, over the last four days, it has evoked mixed responses from cricket boards across the globe. While New Zealand Cricket has supported the proposal, Cricket South Africa, the most adversely affected board as per the proposal, has requested the ICC for its withdrawal.