2011 & 2015 ICC Cricket World Cups on the agenda at ICC Board meeting

Next week's ICC Executive Board meeting will consider the schedule and hosting of ICC Events from late 2007 to 2015, including the ICC Cricket World Cups in 2011 and 2015

Brian Murgatroyd

16-Mar-2006

Next week's ICC Executive Board meeting will consider the schedule and hosting of ICC Events from late 2007 to 2015, including the ICC Cricket World Cups in 2011 and 2015.

The meeting, scheduled to take place in Dubai on Monday and Tuesday, will take "in principle" decisions and follow a three-step process to reach its conclusions:

Content - Deciding the content of the ICC Events calendar over an eight-year period from late 2007. This will involve considering recommendations made in February by the ICC Chief Executives' Committee regarding an annual events schedule including a Twenty20 World Championship and a shorter-format ICC Champions Trophy

Schedule - Deciding on the schedules of the ICC Events calendar - where those Events will be slotted into the Future Tours Program (FTP)

Hosting - Deciding on which Members will host ICC Events. This will include a decision on late applications, including a joint bid to host the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2011, from Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, after it failed to meet the original deadline for submission of 28 February.* The decision on hosting will include confirmation that all submissions comply with required criteria for hosting an ICC Event; assessments of the relative merits of the submissions; and "in principle" decisions

The decisions taken will go forward to the ICC's Annual Conference for ratification, with that meeting held at Lord's in London between 2- 7 July 2006.

Funding for ICC Events

ICC Management will also present a revised financial formula for hosting ICC Events to the Board. The formula is designed to ensure Members hosting Events do not suffer financially in comparison to the other teams taking part.

The purpose of `bundling' ICC Events over the eight-year period is to maximize revenue for Members and provide certainty for cricket fans, potential broadcasters and sponsors.

ICC Chief Executive Officer Malcolm Speed said the process of deciding the ICC Events schedule was an exciting time for cricket.

"The number and quality of submissions we have received from many of our Members is an indication of their level of interest in this process," said Mr. Speed.

"The hosting of an ICC Event will provide the successful bidders with a platform to grow the game while at the same time generating revenue and creating anticipation among supporters, players and administrators."

78 submissions have been received to host a range of ICC Events including Cricket World Cups, Champions Trophies, U/19 Cricket World Cups, Women's World Cups and ICC Trophies.

Australia and New Zealand submitted a joint bid to stage the ICC CWC covering both the 2011 and 2015 Events while England submitted to host the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015.

Five members - Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the West Indies - are seeking to host ICC Champions Trophies and seven members - England, Malaysia, Scotland, South Africa, Sri Lanka, UAE and the West Indies - have targeted a potential Twenty20 event.

Interest in the Women's World Cup is also high with India, Malaysia and UAE all bidding for the Event.

The following countries have also submitted to host Division One of the ICC's World Cricket League or the ICC World Cup Qualifier (formerly ICC Trophy): Canada, Ireland, Kenya, Malaysia, Namibia and The Netherlands.

* Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka requested an extension to the deadline to 20 March for the submission of their joint bid to host the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011.

The ICC Board comprises the Presidents/Chairmen or designated nominees of the 10 Full Members and three representatives from ICC Associate Member countries.

Attendees at the meeting will be:

Ehsan Mani (Chairman) - ICC President
Percy Sonn - ICC Vice-President
Malcolm Speed - ICC Chief Executive Officer

Full Members

Creagh O'Connor - Australia
Mohammad Ali Asghar MP - Bangladesh
David Morgan - England
Sharad Pawar - India
Sir John Anderson KBE - New Zealand
Shaharyar Khan - Pakistan
Jayantha Dharmadasa - Sri Lanka
Ray Mali - South Africa
Ken Gordon - West Indies
Peter Chingoka - Zimbabwe

Associate Members

Stanley Perlman - Israel
HRH Tunku Imran - Malaysia
Mazhar Khan - United Arab Emirates

Decisions of the Board require the support of the majority of Full and Associate Member representatives including at least seven of the 10 Full Members.