· Significantly enhanced direct funding of $26 million in 2016 to be provided to the Associate and Affiliate Members pursuant to targeted and meritocratic principles
· Good progress made in the development of a strategy to unify cricket in the USA
· Substantial increase in men’s, women’s and Test rankings prize money
· ICC Women’s World Cup 2017 format approved, ICC Women’s Championship to continue post-2017 and to be funded by the ICC
· ICC commissions review of FTP structure
· Significant global interest in ICC’s various sponsorship and digital packages, first of a number of global partners to be unveiled in Mumbai on Wednesday
The ICC Board concluded its final round of meetings of 2015 at the ICC Headquarters in Dubai on 13 October. Among the decisions made and reports reviewed were:
In line with the ICC’s new strategy which aims to assist the development of more competitive teams in international cricket, the Board approved that direct funding available to the Associate and Affiliate Members (AMs) will increase from $125million in the previous cycle to $208million for the period from 2016-2023.
The Board also approved the overarching principles of the AMs funding model which will result in an immediate increase to the annual funding pool from $20million in 2015 to $26million in 2016.
The Board received an update on the development of cricket in the USA following the suspension of the USA Cricket Association (USACA) in June. The Board was pleased with the work undertaken, in conjunction with the wider US cricket community, to start developing a meaningful strategy for cricket in the USA, which includes the unification of all stakeholders.
ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2016
The Board confirmed that the Bangladesh Cricket Board will host next year’s ICC U19 Cricket World Cup from 22 January to 14 February.
As part of this decision, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), working in conjunction with its government, will be developing an appropriate security plan that addresses all security risks to the satisfaction of the ICC’s security advisor, working closely with the security advisors for the other Members.
Increased prize money 2016-2023
The Board approved an increased allocation of $65 million as the prize money for the top ranked Test sides and for men’s and women’s ICC Events during the period 2016-2023. This represents a 41 per cent increase in the total prize money paid to players compared to the previous eight-year cycle.
In a decision to better reward the best performing Test teams, the Board has doubled the prize money for sides that top the ICC Test Championship table each year at the 1 April cut-off date. As a result, the number-one ranked Test team on 1 April 2016 will receive $1 million, up from $500,000 in 2015.
This prize money is in addition to the Test Cricket Fund of $70 million, which the ICC Board introduced last year to help ensure Test playing sides are able to sustain a home programme of Test cricket through to 2023. The fund will be available from next year to all Test Members except the Board of Control for Cricket in India, Cricket Australia and the England and Wales Cricket Board.
The Board also recognised the improved standard and professionalism in women’s cricket by approving a five-fold increase in the prize money allocated to the six ICC women’s events to be played from 2016-2023. The women will compete for total prize money of $4.4 million during the period, including a prize money pool of $1 million for the ICC Women’s World Cup 2017.
Women’s cricket
The Board has approved changes to the format of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2017 to be hosted by the England and Wales Cricket Board. This event determines the best team in the 50-over ODI format.
The eight-team tournament will now be played as a round-robin format with the top four sides progressing to the semi-finals, followed by the final. The change in the format means there will now be a total of 31 matches (compared to 25 matches in 2013), with each side guaranteed a minimum of seven matches during the tournament.
The Board also decided that a second edition of the ICC Women’s Championship would be played post 2017. This tournament has significantly enhanced the standard of women’s cricket with each side guaranteed a minimum of 21 ODIs over a two-year period. The current edition of the Championship also serves as a qualification pathway to the ICC Women’s World Cup 2017 with the top four sides qualifying directly to women’s cricket’s most prestigious event.
To encourage attacking play in women’s ODI cricket, the Board noted that the women’s playing conditions should adopt all the changes that were introduced to the men’s playing conditions in June 2015 except the following two which relate to ODI fielding restrictions:
· The batting PowerPlay will remain in women’s ODIs
· There will still only be four fielders outside the circle between overs 41-50
These amendments will come into effect from this week’s series between the West Indies and Pakistan, which starts in St Lucia on Friday, 16 October.
Other matters
The Board (and its committees) commenced their meetings by paying respects to ICC’s former President, Mr Jagmohan Dalmiya, who passed away last month.
ICC Chairman Mr N.Srinivasan led a joint session of the Board and the Chief Executives’ Committee to discuss and identify ways to enhance the context and value of future bilateral cricket. The ICC’s management will now consult widely in respect of many of the areas that were discussed before presenting recommendations in due course under the directions of the ICC Chairman.
The Board noted that there was considerable global interest in ICC’s various sponsorship and digital packages and, received presentations on plans to exploit these rights. The first global partner will be unveiled in Mumbai on Wednesday.
The ICC complimented its umpires who recorded a best-ever correct decision-making percentage of 95.2 per cent (before DRS) in all international matches since the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015. The Board once again reiterated its support in dealing with the issue of bowlers with suspected illegal bowling actions and, acknowledged the work done to date.
The Board noted that as part of cricket’s growing popularity, it had received several approaches from multi-sport organisations and agreed that ICC Director Mr Giles Clarke and ICC Chief Executive Mr David Richardson should meet with the International Olympic Committee next month to find out more about these opportunities.
The Chairman of the ACU, Sir Ronnie Flanagan, provided an update to the Board on the good progress made in key areas of implementation of the Integrity Working Party recommendations for combatting corruption in international and domestic cricket.
Finally, the Board congratulated Cricket Ireland and Cricket Scotland for the successful hosting of the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier 2015.
The ICC Board consists of the nominated representatives of each of the 10 Full Members plus three elected Associate Member representatives. The meeting is chaired by Mr Narayanaswami Srinivasan. Also present is the ICC President and ICC Chief Executive.
ICC Chairman Narayanaswami Srinivasan
ICC President Zaheer Abbas
ICC Chief Executive David Richardson
Australia Wally Edwards
Bangladesh Nazmul Hassan
England Giles Clarke
India Narayanaswami Srinivasan
New Zealand Greg Barclay
Pakistan Shaharyar M. Khan
South Africa Chris Nenzani
Sri Lanka Sidath Wettimuny*
West Indies Dave Cameron
Zimbabwe Tavengwa Mukuhlani
Associate Member Director (Bermuda) Neil Speight
Associate Member Director (Namibia) Francois Erasmus
Associate Member Director (Singapore) Imran Khawaja
*Sidath Wettimuny attended as an observer
The CEC comprises the Chief Executives of the 10 Full Members as well as three Associate Member representatives. Also present is the ICC Chief Executive who chairs the meeting, and, by invitation, the ICC Chairman, the Chairman of the ICC Cricket Committee and the Chair of the ICC Women’s Committee.
ICC Chief Executive (Chairman) David Richardson
ICC Chairman (ex-Officio) Narayanaswami Srinivasan
ICC Cricket Committee Chairman (ex-Officio) Anil Kumble
ICC Women’s Committee Chair (ex-Officio) Clare Connor
Australia James Sutherland
Bangladesh Nizam Uddin Chowdhury
England Tom Harrison
India Anurag Thakur
New Zealand David White
Pakistan Subhan Ahmed
South Africa Haroon Lorgat
Sri Lanka Ashley de Silva
West Indies Michael Muirhead
Zimbabwe Wilfred Mukondiwa
Associate Member Representative John Cribbin
Associate Member Representative Warren Deutrom
Associate Member Representative Greg Campbell