Cricket week in Canada and the 9/2 qualification rule

The 9/2 Qualification rule- 9 citizens 2 non citizens per ICC 2001 Team Eleven Is that the way forward?

The 9/2 rule is a progression from the previous 7/4 rule which was in place in the 1997 ICC Trophy Competition in Malaysia. This had always been promoted as one of the steps forward to indigenous and grassroots cricket development. There is no problem with any rule as long as it is universally applied. Any special exemptions and/or considerations need to be subject to public scrutiny and approval. If there is too much waiving of the rules, then the rules need to be changed or tossed out.

Canada as a country has no major problem with the rulewe have always stipulated that players coming "off the boat" would not be immediately eligible to play for Canada (minimum 3 years, 5 for ICCT) , regardless of their ability. That having been said, we have been unfortunate in not qualifying for other world cups since the 1979 world cup, as did Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka, of course, is now a Full Member country of the ICC and have themselves won the World Cup. We have a lot of catching up to do. We shall need the help and support of the full and associate members in moving forward to ODI status (our Vision 2000).

The Americas and China had been earmarked as priorities areas for grassroots development! We believe that the investment in Canada ( and the USA) is vital and is a sound one in moving cricket into the largest world financial markets. We have a narrow window of opportunity. Failure to capitalize on this opportunity, will in my opinion, be cause for serious second guessing later on. In my opinion, it is not enough to have FM countries staging " exhibition" games in Canada, in Bangladesh, in Kenya, or in Holland for example. Moreover, it is essential that proceeds from cricket must be re-invested in cricket for growth and development.

Local cricketers , their teams and the cricket infrastructure must be upgraded with the help of local sponsors and governments and with ICC leadership and support. Canada and the USA, for example, get nothing from their governments in terms of national funding. With cricketers competing against basketball, football, soccer, golf, tennis, hockey and other world wide televised sports and sport-dedicated sponsors and owners, how can we compete on a level playing field without that leadership and assistance?

In the West Indies, TSN, for example, seems to beam primarily North American coverage into homes for most of the day! Pre-school age kids see nothing but this it appears. When that kid matures, is he/she going to support cricket or play basketball and golf? Moreover, not enough cricket is seen and heard even in the West Indies because of economics! How do we attract audiences, sponsors and converts without greater exposure. The WICB, as the Americas' Full Member, itself suffers from many constraints.

Teenagers in the West Indies, in addition, are given scholarships to USA universities and colleges in many sports. For many students, that is the only way to gain a post high school education and livelihood. ( Not one is available in cricket. At Queen's University, Ontario there is a central campus "Cricket Field". No cricket is played there today. Softball cages are in place. That is not likely to change in the near future either.) When you lose your best athletes and your best high school students to other pursuits and/or distractions, how can the population base sustain top level cricket?

I believe like many others, that cricket is without doubt the best sport in the world. UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, in his Cricket Week announcement also expresses similar sentiments. It is sometimes difficult for such voices to be heard in the wilderness. ICC, ICC Development and the outstanding contributions of ICC President Jagmohan Dalmiya and others, present a ray of hope on some days. We need to see what specific remedies the future brings. The record in the past has sometimes been extremely frustrating. In some cities in Canada, including my home town, cricketers cannot get a pitch or ground to play on. Do they quit or to do they switch? Time only will tell if we shall join the ranks of " The Emerging Nations."

In summary, 9/2 is not the problem. Without action, cricket development in the Americas (and elsewhere) is dead. Canada vs USA, the first Cricket International in 1844, predating the Modern Olympics and the Americas Cup Yacht Race, itself is on the ropes. The rich traditions and history of Americas' and World cricket are at stake. Welcome International Cricket Week 2000! Let us hope that this focus continues. (A previous Cricket Week in Canada was in 1868! When will there be another?)

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