Results of ICC Chief Executives' Committee meeting in Johannesburg

The ICC Chief Executives' Committee (CEC) met in Johannesburg on Monday 10 and Tuesday 11 September and the following were some of the results of the meeting:

CEC reviewed a draft international programme for the period 2012 - 2017. The meeting asked ICC management, which was responsible for the preparation of the programme, to refine it ahead of further discussion on the subject at the next CEC meeting, set to take place in February 2008 in Kuala Lumpur during the ICC U/19 Cricket World Cup in Malaysia.

Once complete, it is envisaged the draft programme will then be reviewed by the ICC Board, although possible implementation, if appropriate, may be delayed due to members' existing commercial arrangements.

The meeting reviewed a report compiled by an umpires' task force chaired by ICC President-elect David Morgan and also including Geoff Allardice of Cricket Australia, ICC Manager - Cricket David Richardson and Ranjan Madugalle, the ICC Chief Match Referee. This followed a meeting by the task force in London on 6 and 7 September.

The main recommendation of the group was that the Emirates Elite Panel of Umpires should be increased in size from 10 to 12 officials.

The report of the task force will go forward for consideration by the ICC Board during its next meeting, set for Dubai on 30 and 31 October.

The task force was formed following a recommendation in May by the ICC's Cricket Committee. The purpose of the group is to enhance the already high standards of officiating.

It began its work by surveying umpires, players, member boards and the media on the current state and perceptions of umpiring ahead of its meeting in London.

The terms of reference for the group were:

Cricket South Africa (CSA) asked that this matter be deferred pending its own internal discussions. This was agreed by the meeting.

The CEC comprises the Chief Executives or their equivalent of the 10 ICC Full Members and three representatives from ICC Associate Members. It is chaired by the ICC's Chief Executive Officer and the Chairman of the ICC Cricket Committee also attends the meeting.

The final day of the meeting - Tuesday - also coincided with the start of the ICC World Twenty20 South Africa 2007. The tournament comprises 27 matches over 14 days at three venues - Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg - with the final set to take place on 24 September. The opening match saw South Africa beat the West Indies by eight wickets at The Wanderers in Johannesburg in a clash that included the first ever T20I hundred, 117 from 57 balls by the visitors' Chris Gayle.