ICC revamp plan piloted by India faces rough weather

Dubai: A controversial proposal to radically alter power equations in world cricket in favour of India, England and Australia appeared to be facing stiff opposition with four countries refusing to play ball, amid intense lobbying during the ICC Executive Board meeting which began here today.

Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are reportedly opposing the revamp of administrative and financial structures of the ICC, which will cede most of the decision making in world cricket to the `Big Three`. It has emerged now that the cricket Boards of Pakistan, South Africa and Bangladesh have formally written a letter to the ICC asking for a deferral of the `position paper` proposals being pushed through by the BCCI, Cricket Australia and the ECB, the three richest and most powerful cricket Boards. The PCB, CSA and SLC have sought more time to look through and internally discuss the radical changes being recommended in the `position paper` which will be tabled during the Board Meeting. The BCB had formally asked for "further discussions" on the matter. "Bangladesh, Pakistan, South Africa and Sri Lanka, we all have one stance. Let us see what we vote inside. We will stick to our stance," Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Zaka Ashraf said before the meeting here. "We will vote for whatever is in Pakistan`s interests. We have to see what is in our interests when we vote," he said. Ashraf also talked about discussions with India on the possibility of playing at neutral venues, which many feel, the BCCI may offer as a `carrot` for supporting the revamp plan which would hand the BCCI more power than it`s enjoying at present. The `position paper`, which sought for a complete overhaul of the ICC`s administration and its revenue distribution, will fall flat if the four Boards decide to oppose it as seven votes out of 10 ICC Full Members will be required to carry it through. The `Big Three` are set to get the support of New Zealand and Zimbabwe while it is learnt that West Indies will eventually vote for the controversial proposal. But, to get the revamp plan passed by the ICC, one out of South Africa, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh will have to support it and it may not be easy to do that. There has been aggressive lobbying for the past two days on the sidelines of the ICC`s Finance & Commercial Affairs committee meeting, amid reports that the `Big Three` have offered to redraft and tweak the proposals. The radical changes proposed include redistribution of ICC revenues with the BCCI, CSA and ECB standing to receive a far greater portion than they do under the present model, at the expense of other member and associate nations. The proposals would see a new executive committee formed by India, England and Australia that would decide most of the key issues in cricket, and a relegation system, from which they would be protected. A key element of the plan is for a new four-man executive committee in which CA, the BCCI and the ECB would all be guaranteed a place with the other position selected by them each year. Other changes include a two-tiered system for Test cricket in which Australia, India and England would be exempt from relegation and removal of control over scheduling from the ICC to allow countries to essentially pick and choose who they play.