Vodafone to cut off England?

Lord MacLaurin: the former ECB chief is now Vodafone's chairman © Getty Images

English cricket has endured a tough year, and things might get worse if a report in today's Times that Vodafone is considering ending its sponsorship when its current deal ends in 2005 is accurate.

There are thought to be three reasons behind Vodafone's thinking. One is that Chris Gent, its high-profile - and cricket-mad - chief executive has now left. The second is that the company is now far more of a global player, and that raises questions about the relevance of cricket to its profile. The third is that the company's board are believed to be concerned about the effect that the controversy surrounding England's tour of Zimbabwe might have on the brand.

Although former ECB chief Lord MacLaurin is now chairman of Vodafone, he would not be responsible for making a decision of this kind. Gent's successor, Arun Sarin, has, the Times claims, privately questioned the sponsorship.

Last September, MacLaurin hinted that the association might be thrown into doubt because of the ongoing Zimbabwe issue. "We don't want to support a side that goes and plays in a country with the sort of regime that is reviled not just by this company but by many in the country," he said. "To do so would be abhorrent and would be good for the brand image neither of Vodafone nor England cricket."

A spokesman for the ECB said: "We have an excellent relationship with Vodafone as does the England team and to date it has been a very productive business partnership for both sides. Discussions about renewal are not scheduled until the autumn and we will continue to work closely with Vodafone to help maximize exposure of their brand."

And Vodafone denied that the sponsorship was being reviewed. "We are not having any sort of discussion with the ECB regarding our sponsorship," a spokeswoman explained. "It is incorrect and misleading to speculate on the likelihood or otherwise of our sponsorship of English cricket continuing. This has been a very successful sponsorship and we look forward to a continuing beneficial and positive relationship in the future."