ICC seek formation of Captain' committee (1 Mar 1997)

ICC Seek greater input from captains

By Bob Dubery (dauphin@aztec.co.za)

JOHANNESBURG - March 1. The ICC is becoming increasingly concerned about the surfeit of international cricket.

Dave Richards, chief executive of the ICC, said, in an interview on SABC television, that the ICC would pay more attention to the long term career prospects of international cricketers.

"There is a lot of cricket being played," he said, "and the players and especially the bowlers are finding it hard going."

The ICC does not arrange international itineraries, these are agreed upon by the governing bodies of the various cricket playing nations, but they do feel that the player`s concerns are genuine, and to this end they hope to initiate a Captain`s Panel that will meet at regular intervals.

The first such panel convened in Calcutta shortly before the last World Cup tournament, and Richards has met with various captains since then. It is now hoped that an annual conference between the test captains and an ICC delegation can be arranged in order that the captains may voice their concerns and ideas for the running of international cricket.

Both the captains in this test, Hansie Cronje of South Africa and Australia`s Mark Taylor, are keen advocates of an international players` association.

Says Cronje "We don`t want to run the game, but I feel we need to have a say in the decision making process at the top."

"I spoke to Steve Waugh about it on our recent tour to India and we agreed that the players should be more directly involved in terms of drawing up itineraries, especially where the one-day tournaments are concerned."

Another concern of the ICC`s is the perception that cricket is a "commonwealth sport". UCB chief executive Ali Bacher has been appointed the head of the ICC`s development committee, and he and Richards are discussing ways in which the game can be evangelised.

A key meeting of the ICC is scheduled for June, and the development of the international game will be one of the items on the agenda.

Richards also stated that it was unlikely that the 2002 World Cup would be moved from South Africa, despite a rival bid from the West Indies having been entered.

"It was agreed some while back that the 1996 World Cup would take place on the Indian sub-continent," he said. "This was agreed by a vote taken amongst the ICC members and we all know that tournament went ahead as planned. At the same meeting it was agreed that the next World Cup would be played in England in 1999, and that South Africa and Zimbabwe would host the 2002 tournament. If we are to change those plans now then it would require a substantial majority of the member countries to back the West Indian bid, and I think that is unlikely to happen."