Missapprehensions and Solutions

The ICC knows that the World Cup 2007 has been a failure in most aspects. But the word around is that the recently concluded tournament has aided the ‘minnows’ in their cricketing progress.

This progress of the minnows as a result of this World Cup as portrayed by the ICC, the electronic media as well as the written media is illusory. Results of matches involving these teams in the future will corroborate this fact.

The ICC World Cup 2007 saw some surprising results. Pakistan and India were thrown out of the tournament in the group stages. This gave way for two teams – Ireland and Bangladesh to go through to the Super Eights. This was success for these two teams.

But it is not progress for the minnows. In the first place, calling the Bangladeshi team as a minnow side is incorrect. Ireland certainly achieved some progress.

But that is just one side. There were also other minnows that played the World Cup – namely Bermuda, The Netherlands, Scotland, Kenya, Canada and even Zimbabwe can be considered minnows. None of these other teams gained much progress out of this World Cup.

The ICC, surprisingly enough, has misunderstood what progress is. Progress for the minnows is when they gain exposure by playing more matches against better teams. This did not happen in this World Cup. The format of the previous World Cup - every team would get to play a minimum of seven matches, whether they win or not - clearly is a more progressive format. The minnows are minnows because they do not have sufficient experience to beat the more significant sides. The aim of the ICC should be to provide this experience.

The solutions to this problem are many. Teams of lesser prominence and experiences should be made to play in triangular series along with more significant test sides. Unless the lesser experienced sides play against better ones, there is little hope for progress. The ICC should promote the ICC Intercontinental Cup to a greater extent. The Intercontinental Cup should be telecast around the cricketing world. This will open up sponsorship to a greater extent and also promote the prominence of these teams.

Hopefully the ICC is thinking on the right lines.-BS