ICC to reduce number of teams in 50-over World Cup

SINGAPORE: The International Cricket Council said it may consider increasing the number of participating teams in the World Twenty20 while reducing the number in the 50-over World Cup.

The working groups of the Chief Executive Committee and the Governance Review Committee, which met during the two-day ICC Executive Board meeting, have discussed many a measures to revamp international cricket and have been asked to submit a final proposal in this regard in September.

"Although we have made good progress, this exercise requires more work. We know there are exciting opportunities to protect and promote all three formats but we must exercise patience as we consider all aspects in introducing context and content in international cricket," ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat said in an ICC statement.

"There is clearly an appetite from all quarters to examine the make-up of the ICC Cricket World Cup and the ICC World Twenty20 and seek the best balance between excellence and development. In terms of the number of participating teams, it is possible that the World Cup could be reduced and the World Twenty20 expanded," he said.

The ICC also announced that the next Twenty20 World Cup will be held in Sri Lanka in 2012 while the 2014 edition of the event will be hosted by Bangladesh.

The ICC also awarded the 2013 Women's World Cup and the Champions Trophy the same year to India and England respectively, apart from naming Australia and New Zealand as the joint hosts for the 50-over World Cup in 2015.

Among other decisions, the game's governing body also exonerated Australian umpire Daryl Harper for the faults he committed while officiating a South Africa-England Test at the Wanderers in January this year.

"The preliminary findings of Advocate Brent Lockie and ICC Cricket Committee chairman Clive Lloyd acknowledge that the technology failure at the time adversely impacted on the information received by the third umpire Daryl Harper while making his decision.

"The ICC and the England and Wales Cricket Board agreed that the third umpire in the match, Daryl Harper, was entirely blameless due to this technical failure," the statement said.

The ICC also said that it was keen to continue with the Decision Review System and want it to be used in the 2011 World Cup in the sub-continent and also in Test matches.

"I am encouraged by everyone's ongoing willingness to improve the future application of DRS," Lorgat said.

TOI

Flying Dutchmen undaunted by Brazil

Flying Dutchmen undaunted by Brazil

Coach Dunga has a few injury and suspension worries. Ramires is suspended while Elano has been confirmed to be out with an ankle injury.

Felipe Melo is training normally but he may not start on Friday afternoon. Daniel Alves will be the replacement for Elano while Josue or Kleberson will be drafted in as replacement for Ramires.

Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Julio Cesar, Maicon, Lucio, Juan, Bastos; Gilberto Silva, Josue; Alves, Kaka, Robinho; Luis Fabiano

The Dutch have no injury concerns. Arjen Robben will start again and coach Bert van Marwijk is unlikely to chance his lineup. In a 4-2-3-1 formation, Mark van Bommel and Nigel De Jong will be the two central midfielders entrusted with the task of protecting the back four and breaking Brazilian moves while Arjen Robben and Dirk Kuyt will be the two widemen with Wesley Sneijder playing through the middle.

Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Stekelenburg, Van der Wiel, Heitinga, Mathijsen, Van Bronckhorst; Van Bommel, De Jong; Robben, Sneijder, Kuyt; Van Persie

PORT ELIZABETH, July 1: The impressive Dutch march through the World Cup finals might hit a brick wall on Friday when they meet a Brazil side in startling form and looking everything like becoming champions for a sixth time.

Netherlands have their sights set on lifting the trophy themselves but coach Bert van Marwijk faces a tactical dilemma for a quarterfinal in Port Elizabeth against a team that has mercilessly punished their opponents, whatever their approach.

With three forwards, Chile boldly attacked the Samba Boys in their second round encounter but lost 3-0 after being torn to shreds by a side that looked close to flawless in all areas of the pitch.

Likewise, putting up the shutters in defence does not seem to work much either, with the likes of the brilliant Kaka, Robinho and Luis Fabiano relentlessly chipping away.

Coach Dunga, who was captain when Brazil beat Netherlands in the 1994 and 1998 World Cups, said their opponents were technically strong and his team had to be prepared.

However, accommodation arrangements and an unfamiliar training venue seemed to be more of a concern to Dunga than the threat of Brazil's in-form and confident opponents.

“It interferes with things,” he said. “We will have to share a hotel with more people, there will be more confusion, and we will have to overcome this situation. Now, we are going to move to another reality,” he said.

Elano will be missing on Friday with a bruised ankle sustained during Brazil's game with Ivory Coast and Dani Alvez will likely fill the void, as he did against Chile.

Felipe Melo has an ankle injury and his replacement Ramires is suspended for two yellow cards, meaning Josue will likely get a start against the Dutch.

Netherlands have won all four of their matches and Arjen Robben's early goal on his return from injury in their 2-1 win over Slovakia has given the team a major lift.

They have endured criticism about dull play but winger Ryan Babel insisted the Dutch had so far faced opponents who had used negative tactics and Brazil's attacking flair would bring the best out of them.

“We play our better games against teams that want to play football as well and on Friday, Brazil is not going to wait,” he said.

Van Marwijk believes his team can go all the way having been in control in their group matches. He will be expecting something entirely different against Brazil, however.

“Perhaps we might be the underdogs for the first time in South Africa. We are confident but the Brazilians also convey this confidence. It’s almost like they’re invincible,” he said.

“But we’re here for one reason, to get the big prize. We have to believe in it,” he said. (Agencies)

Pawar new ICC president, world cricket divided over Howard’s rejection

Pawar new ICC president, world cricket divided over Howard’s rejection

Singapore/Melbourne, July 1: Indian Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar on Thursday took over the reins of the International Cricket Council (ICC) on a day when the game’s governing body stood divided in two blocks following the rejection of former Australian prime minister John Howard's nomination for the vice president's post. Pawar, however, attempted to downplay the brouhaha.

Cricket Australia (CA) and New Zealand Cricket (NZC), which floated Howard's nomination, were left seething in anger as the strong African and Asian block, including the Indian cricket board, opposed Howard’s candidature at the ICC executive board meeting on Wednesday. Only England, Australia and New Zealand supported Howard, thus forcing the ICC to ask CA and NZC to withdraw his nomination.

Howard was adamant, saying he was not withdrawing his nomination. “I won’t be withdrawing,” the Australian media quoted Howard as saying on Thursday.

Pawar, 69, who took over as ICC president from David Morgan Thursday, had openly backed Howard for the job but the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) backtracked, rejecting Howard's candidature.

No reason was provided for the rejection of Howard's nomination, though it is understood that his opposition to Robert Mugabe's regime in Zimbabwe and his outspoken views on Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan's controversial bowling action were some of the reasons behind his rejection.

Pawar, 69, who became the second Indian after Jagmohan Dalmiya to occupy the top ICC post, sought to downplay the issue.

“What is the political connotation? There is no question of political connotation,” Pawar said at a press conference in Singapore.

“No, I don’t think so at all (that there will be a divide). We have discussed the matter individually and collectively with everybody including Australia, England and New Zealand also. We took a collective decision," Pawar told Indian news channel CNN-IBN in an interview.

“I’m not worried because it's a democratic organisation. According to the ICC constitution if any four members oppose a proposal, it cannot be passed. That's why we have requested Australia and New Zealand to give a second thought and come out with a new proposal," he added.

ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat said the Council is not obliged to spell out the reason for Howard's failed nomination.

“The ICC does not have give those reasons. There were not sufficient number of directors in support of the nomination, (it) did not go to a vote and the outcome was to request Cricket Australia and New Zealand Cricket to reconsider their nomination," Lorgat said.

The ICC has asked Australia and New Zealand to nominate a new candidate by the end of August.

“We (will) wait for their recommendation," Pawar said.

Had Howard been elected, he would have succeeded Pawar as ICC president in 2012.

Not mincing words, CA chairman Jack Clarke said he felt "gutted and deeply disappointed".

“If you keep having processes that don't work, or are not allowed to work, I am not too sure where they go from there. John wasn't putting his hand up for this job, he was asked by us,” added Clarke.

“You hope it doesn't affect the relationship but it obviously puts a block there for a while and makes you wary."

Although Clarke did not blame India for Howard's rejection, he reasoned the country's financial clout in the ICC had guided the outcome.

“In any business model where a company has 75 per cent of the income, it’s not an ideal model,” he said. “But that is not India’s fault ... it’s a powerful bloc but it’s a reality of life,” Fox Sports quoted Clarke as saying.

New Zealand Cricket chairman Alan Isaac found the rejection of Howard's nomination unacceptable. "We have been unable to get a reason for the lack of support for our nomination and it's just not acceptable," Isaac said.

Pawar's overwhelming support in BCCI has waned after his support of Lalit Modi during the Indian Premier League controversy, and with the latest row over Howard, the veteran politican will have much in hand during his tenure.

Should CA and NZC decide to admit defeat on Howard, it is likely that former NZC and ICC administrator John Anderson would be sought again, having lost out to the former Australian prime minister in a selection process that was hotly-debated by the two countries.

Former ICC CEO Malcolm Speed said Howard was rejected because of his opposition to Robert Mugabe's regime in Zimbabwe.

“Rest assured, he (Howard) was not rejected because of his lack of experience as a cricket administrator, his strong opposition to Robert Mugabe's disastrous regime in Zimbabwe or his outspoken views about Muttiah Muralitharan's controversial bowling action. There is more to it than that,” Speed said in his column in the Sydney Morning Herald.

Speed also alleged Pawar knows little about cricket administration.

“The man who is to be the next ICC president, Sharad Pawar, is the Minister for Agriculture in the Indian government - a serious full-time job, feeding 1.2 billion people. He is a good and fair man but he will be working part-time as ICC president and, take it from me, he knows little about cricket administration,” Speed said. (IANS)