OWN CORRESPONDENT, Nairobi | Tuesday 8.30am.
ALI Bacher, chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC) development committee, said on Monday the number of teams at the 2003 World Cup in SA should be increased from 12 to 14.
Bacher said test-playing countries had to support the development of cricket among ICC associate members to ensure the survival of the game, which has been losing support in some of its traditional bastions.
”At this point of time, cricket is too narrowly based and there are too few countries playing at the highest level,” he said.
”We need to give incentives to more and more associate member countries.
”I think we should follow the example of other sports like soccer where recently there were 16 countries competing (in some major competitions) and now there are 32,” he said.
Bacher, also the MD of the United Cricket Board of SA, said Kenya and Bangladesh, which have one-day international but not test status, should be allowed automatic qualification for the World Cup, along with the nine test-playing sides.
Bangladesh, Kenya and Scotland qualified for the 12-team World Cup in England last May and June by finishing in the top three of the ICC Trophy held for associate members.
”It’s contradictory that we are encouraging these countries to achieve excellence and in the same breath to say ‘go to (the ICC Trophy in) Toronto in 2001 and compete for a place in the SA World Cup’,” he said.
Kenya’s and Bangladesh’s exemption from the ICC Trophy would give sides such as Scotland, Ireland, Bermuda and Canada more chance to qualify for the World Cup
An expansion of the number of teams would increase the schedule from 42 to 54 matches. — Reuters