Dublin : Ireland described decision by International Cricket Council to cut associate teams from the next World Cup as a “black day for the sport” motivated by a desire to protect the interests of the bigger nations. ICC confirmed that 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand would be contested by 10 teams, four fewer than recent tournament. That was expected, but surprise was provided by decision not to hold a qualification process for the tournament with ICC confirming teams participating will be made up of its 10 full member countries. It means Ireland, who are ranked 10th in the world and ahead of Zimbabwe, who are a full member nation, will not take part in next World Cup despite beating England last month.
“The conclusion can only be reached that decisions made were based purely on protection of existing membership entitlements for full members and commercial imperative that a 10-team event delivers nine guaranteed matches for India and England,” said Warren Deutrom, chief executive of Cricket Ireland.
“It’s nothing short of outrageous. All of principles by which a decision should have been made in first instance – which is what’s best for the sport and what’s acting in best interests of all 105 members – have clearly been abandoned. And after such a terrific event, and wonderful occasion of the final, where the sport was incredible and regarded in such glowing terms around the world, I’m afraid this is an absolute black day for the sport. It’s a genuinely awful decision that has been reached.”
Will Porterfield, Ireland captain, said: “We have done everything they asked of us over last few yearsin terms of restructuring Irish cricket and I can’t come to terms with how they can just shut us out, do away with qualification period and then try and call this a World Cup.”
To compensate the associates, World Twenty20 has been expanded to 16 teams but they will not be involved in the 50-over competition until 2019 at the earliest, the next time a qualification competition will be held.
The suspicion among associate nations is that because next World Cup will be final event of ICC’s current television deal with ESPN, it makes commercial sense for both parties to ensure there are plenty of matches between bigger nations. ICC underlined this by stating in its press release that India’s matches against England, Australia, Pakistan & Sri Lanka attracted hundreds of millions of viewers.
If next World Cup provides a greater guarantee of such matches, broadcasters will be able to increase advertising rates, which in turn would enable the ICC to match, if not exceed, its current rights dealof $1 billion when its next contract is due for renewal in 2015.
