ICC: Nigeria moves a step closer and Caymans reapplies as six seek Affiliate membership

Ever since Kenya's rise as a force in non-Test cricket after its separation from the East and Central African Cricket Conference there have been those who have salivated at the prospect of Nigeria achieving stand alone Associate membership status of the International Cricket Council.

That anticipation only increased after Uganda's outstanding ICC Trophy debut in Toronto last June.

Now that anticipation will be heightened following Nigeria's submission of its application during a visit to South Africa early last month (see Kwesi Sagoe's separate article).

There are only two stages in the application process to go before Nigeria faces what it hopes will be a successful vote at the Annual General Meeting of the ICC in London in June.

Nigeria will be one of the two countries along with the Cayman Islands to apply for Associate membership. The June meeting will also vote on Affiliate membership applications for Chile, Costa Rica, Cuba, Panama, Surinam and Turks & Caicos Islands. It is the second successive year the Cayman Islands have applied for Associate membership.

Both Nigeria and the Cayman Islands will receive inspection visits by the ICC's Global Development Manager, Andrew Eade, before having their applications heard.

Nigeria's bid for Associate membership will also be subject to approval being granted by the West African Cricket Conference (of which it is currently a member) at its April meeting.

This is considered a formality as an Emergency General Meeting of the WACC in Lagos, Nigeria on October 14 discussed and adopted a proposal to support Nigeria's application for stand alone Associate membership of the ICC which would be followed, probably in 2003, by Affiliate membership applications by Gambia, Ghana and Sierra Leone.

Such agreement is conditional on Nigeria sharing its revenue granted as an Associate member with Gambia, Ghana and Sierra Leone after the WACC's dissolution.

The Caymans' national team performed credibly in its only outing at last year's Americas Cup, defeating Argentina and nearly toppling the United States.

The number of Affiliate membership applications has decreased from a record high of 11 received last year to six this year. However a number of countries including Estonia, Seychelles, Iran, Mexico and the Falkland Islands are expected to seek similar status of the world governing body.

Similarly the ICC's Regional Development Manager for Africa, Hoosain Ayob, reports that Egypt, Libya, Mozambique, Rwanda and Senegal have joined the development process as New Territories during 2001.

The impact of the ICC's Development Programme can be seen in the Americas region, where all Affiliate applications originate.