REJECT IT! Former Governance Committee chairman warns against ICC draft

REJECT IT! Former Governance Committee chairman warns against ICC draft

Story Created: Jan 21, 2014 at 10:54 PM ECT

  BASSETERRE

The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) is being called upon to strongly resist moves by the England, India and Australia to complete what some officials have labelled a ‘hostile takeover’ of the sport.
The former chairman of the West Indies Cricket Board’s Governance Committee, Charles Wilkin, Q.C, has made an appeal to WICB in response to a white paper containing proposed changes to revamp the ICC which will come before members as early as the quarterly meeting in Dubai on January 28 and 29.

The ICC working paper is proposing that Test cricket is played under a two tiered system in which England, India and Australia will not be demoted while teams like West Indies and New Zealand would find themselves in the second tier.

Wilkin describes as “startling” news that the ICC is considering ceding most executive decisions to the so-called Big Three.
“The leaked report is startling,” Wilkin charged.
“If adopted, the proposals will create a cabal within world cricket…with total control of the game internationally”.

A WICB release yesterday said the Board of Directors met by teleconference and discussed the issue on Monday and will reconvene, again by teleconference, today to continue the discussion.
“The proposals have the potential to destroy West Indies Cricket by putting us in a position where we have to fight on an ongoing basis with South Africa, Pakistan, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe for two places in the top rung of world cricket and if we do not make that rung we are doomed to second class status” Wilkins warned.

Wilkins has called on individual members of the WICB as well to speak out against the draft proposals.
“The president of the West Indies Cricket Board is a member of the committee from which the proposals came. He is the only representative on the committee of the countries doomed to second rate status, “Mr. Wilkin stated.

“I hope that he comes out openly against them before they go to the vote of the ICC Executive Committee on January 28. If he does not he will have some explaining to do, not only to the West Indies public, but to the other countries who are being relegated to second class status”.

Already Cricket South Africa (CSA) has called on the ICC to withdraw the draft proposal that would put power in international cricket in the hands of India, England and Australia.
“We also need to hear from individual members of the WICB, including Ricky Skerritt who is nominee on WICB of the Caricom,” said Wilkins.

“These governments should not wait until after the vote to make public their views, given the importance of cricket to the Caribbean people, our governments need to speak out urgently and strongly in conjunction with those of the other countries affected.”

That Australia and and England would jump at the chance at money grubbing is not surprising but to be joined by India is a betrayal.

The ICC was meant to have equity in the system of International Cricket Development so for a few nations to be its major beneficiary is totally inappropriate, irrespective of who they are.


This draft proposal is not inkeeping with the ICC's mission. I do not see India having to be singled out except they have become a big player and the question is why hasn't others?

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