Test cricket will only thrive if matches remain enthralling

My old friend Peter Oborne launched a strongly worded attack on world cricket’s administrators on these pages yesterday. We were, he claimed, packing the schedules with lucrative one-day games, and neglecting the proper five-day Tests that are among the most enthralling spectacles in sport.

I agree entirely that Test cricket is the most important format of the game, involving the highest demonstration of skill. Yet it will only remain successful if the contests are of the highest quality. The greatest threat to Test cricket – by a long distance – is not its fixture list, but the growing gap in standards. Nobody wants to watch unequal matches. For there to be a broader amount of high-quality Test cricket, the grassroots of the game in all Test-playing nations – and all aspiring cricket nations – must be developed.

As chairman of the International Cricket Council’s Pakistan Task Team, I saw first-hand the massive challenges facing my fellow administrators, even in a country which is obsessed with the sport. The only way to maintain the spellbinding drama of the five-day Test, which enthrals us all, is for the ICC to focus on helping such countries to improve their pitches, their facilities, their numbers of coaches and their infrastructure.

As for the charge that we are staging too many one-day games, Peter is misinformed: Test matches in this country are considerably more lucrative than one-day internationals. In fact, the decision to stage more ODIs dates from England’s very disappointing performance in the one-day World Cup in 2007. In its wake, there was a consensus that our players needed more such games, as they had far less experience than their sub-continental competitors. It was also clear that an opportunity to play five ODIs in Australia before it hosted the 2015 World Cup would be great preparation. Yet international cricket is based upon reciprocity: in return, Australia would be able to play five ODIs in Britain next summer, to assist them in preparing for the ICC’s other one-day tournament, the 2013 Champions Trophy, which is being held in England.

The demands of international cricket are certainly significant. Our home season normally consists of six Tests and 13 ODIs or seven Tests and 10 ODIs, plus four Twenty20 games. Managing these three formats is a complex business: each requires a different team, different strategies, and different preparation. For example, we will be defending our world Twenty20 title in Sri Lanka in September, and need a settled and well-prepared squad straight after the end of our season. We also have to comply in 2012 with the IOC’s requirement that no other international sport can be staged during the Olympics and Paralympics, complicating the schedules still further.

Yet even if administrators do focus on earning revenue, is that such a bad thing? England are both the number one Test team and world Twenty20 champions. This is because, inter alia, the England and Wales Cricket Board has been able to make substantial investments – thanks to our sponsors and broadcasters – at all levels of the game, from our world-leading facilities at Loughborough to specialist coaches, medical care and software analysis. Players are developed from an early age, with expensive winter training to prepare them for the international arena. All of this costs money.

The success of Test cricket is also dependent on the support of the public for our magnificent team. That team is created at county level. It is essential that all those who profess a love for Test cricket show that support, as members and spectators, to ensure counties have the financial strength to attract the best young athletes.

Players such as Steve Finn and Tim Bresnan came from county cricket to become successful internationals, and it has been equally exciting to see, in the week of Basil D’Oliveira’s passing, the emergence of South Africa’s Vernon Philander as successor to the great Makhaya Ntini. We in England have a world-class team, but it is vital that we have world-class opponents. That is something the South Africans will certainly be during next summer’s Tests.

Giles Clarke is unpaid chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board

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Test cricket will only thrive if matches remain enthralling

My old friend Peter Oborne launched a strongly worded attack on world cricket’s administrators on these pages yesterday. We were, he claimed, packing the schedules with lucrative one-day games, and neglecting the proper five-day Tests that are among the most enthralling spectacles in sport.

I agree entirely that Test cricket is the most important format of the game, involving the highest demonstration of skill. Yet it will only remain successful if the contests are of the highest quality. The greatest threat to Test cricket – by a long distance – is not its fixture list, but the growing gap in standards. Nobody wants to watch unequal matches. For there to be a broader amount of high-quality Test cricket, the grassroots of the game in all Test-playing nations – and all aspiring cricket nations – must be developed.

As chairman of the International Cricket Council’s Pakistan Task Team, I saw first-hand the massive challenges facing my fellow administrators, even in a country which is obsessed with the sport. The only way to maintain the spellbinding drama of the five-day Test, which enthrals us all, is for the ICC to focus on helping such countries to improve their pitches, their facilities, their numbers of coaches and their infrastructure.

As for the charge that we are staging too many one-day games, Peter is misinformed: Test matches in this country are considerably more lucrative than one-day internationals. In fact, the decision to stage more ODIs dates from England’s very disappointing performance in the one-day World Cup in 2007. In its wake, there was a consensus that our players needed more such games, as they had far less experience than their sub-continental competitors. It was also clear that an opportunity to play five ODIs in Australia before it hosted the 2015 World Cup would be great preparation. Yet international cricket is based upon reciprocity: in return, Australia would be able to play five ODIs in Britain next summer, to assist them in preparing for the ICC’s other one-day tournament, the 2013 Champions Trophy, which is being held in England.

The demands of international cricket are certainly significant. Our home season normally consists of six Tests and 13 ODIs or seven Tests and 10 ODIs, plus four Twenty20 games. Managing these three formats is a complex business: each requires a different team, different strategies, and different preparation. For example, we will be defending our world Twenty20 title in Sri Lanka in September, and need a settled and well-prepared squad straight after the end of our season. We also have to comply in 2012 with the IOC’s requirement that no other international sport can be staged during the Olympics and Paralympics, complicating the schedules still further.

Yet even if administrators do focus on earning revenue, is that such a bad thing? England are both the number one Test team and world Twenty20 champions. This is because, inter alia, the England and Wales Cricket Board has been able to make substantial investments – thanks to our sponsors and broadcasters – at all levels of the game, from our world-leading facilities at Loughborough to specialist coaches, medical care and software analysis. Players are developed from an early age, with expensive winter training to prepare them for the international arena. All of this costs money.

The success of Test cricket is also dependent on the support of the public for our magnificent team. That team is created at county level. It is essential that all those who profess a love for Test cricket show that support, as members and spectators, to ensure counties have the financial strength to attract the best young athletes.

Players such as Steve Finn and Tim Bresnan came from county cricket to become successful internationals, and it has been equally exciting to see, in the week of Basil D’Oliveira’s passing, the emergence of South Africa’s Vernon Philander as successor to the great Makhaya Ntini. We in England have a world-class team, but it is vital that we have world-class opponents. That is something the South Africans will certainly be during next summer’s Tests.

Giles Clarke is unpaid chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board

View the original article here

Sri Lanka Test series failing to attract big crowds as public fail to warm to early summer matches

Delayed: Sri Lanka captain Tillakaratne Dilshan will not be arriving in England with his team-mates as he is still playing at the IPL Photo: REUTERS

Ticket sales at two of the three venues are below expectation and there is the possibility that not one of the 15 days of Test cricket will be sold out for the return of Andrew Strauss’s Ashes winning team.

At Cardiff, the venue for the first Test starting on May 26, capacity is believed to be at around 50 per cent. At the Rose Bowl there has been a spike in ticket sales since Easter and Rod Bransgrove, the Hampshire chairman, is expecting a “pretty good crowd” for the first three days but is disappointed not to have sold out the ground for its inaugural Test.

At Lord’s the first three days are close to capacity but tickets are still on general sale for all five days.

In the decade since the early Test series was introduced empty seats have been a constant theme at matches but the current recession and apathy from opposing teams towards touring England during the IPL has not helped grounds which now rely on Test match income to pay heavy debts.

The Sri Lankans have not helped the England and Wales Cricket Board. The majority of the squad arrive at Heathrow on Wednesday evening without their new captain, Tillakaratne Dilshan.

He is squeezing in one more IPL match before joining his team-mates in London on Friday night, a few hours before their first warm-up match against Middlesex at Uxbridge the following day.

Senior batsmen and former captain Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene lobbied the Sri Lankan board for more time at the IPL and will not arrive until the night before the final warm-up match against the England Lions in Derby next week.

There are fears in Cardiff ticket sales could be hit by the possibility of a Cardiff v Swansea Championship play-off final on Monday May 30. It is the last scheduled day of the Test, when attendances are at their lowest.

It is thought Cardiff bid more than £1 million three years ago to stage their second Test and will need a surge in sales to avoid making a heavy loss on the match.

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Pakistan's Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir loaded bribes to fix matches

The trio - all currently suspended by the International Cricket Council and face face life of guilty if accepted bans - were accused by the Crown Prosecution Service for obtaining and accepting corrupt payments and conspiracy to cheat.

Agent Mazhar Majeed was also charged, a first hearing planned for the city of Westminster Magistrates' Court on 17 March. The CPS has confirmed that the extradition orders are requested if three players fail to appear in court.

Three players were questioned by Scotland Yard detectives on the applications that they have accepted cash to deliberately not Bowl-balls, a report of infiltration in the news of the world.

Simon Clements, of the SCP, said: "these charges relate to allegations that Mr. Majeed accepted money from a third party to organize players Bowl non-balles on August 26 and 27, 2010, during the fourth test of Pakistan cricket ground in London Lord."

"Dr. Majeed was summoned to appear for a first hearing in the Court of the city of Westminster Magistrates' March 17.".

Quotations for the same date of the Court were issued for three players and they have been asked to return voluntarily, as they were accepted in September last year. Their extradition be sought they fail to return.

"The Crown Prosecution Service works closely with the Metropolitan Police Department that fake matches allegations became public on August 29, 2010."

"We received a complete file of evidence on December 7, 2010, and we believe the evidence is sufficient for a realistic prospect of conviction and it is in the public interest to prosecute."

"I remind everyone that these men are entitled to a fair trial and that it should be regarded as innocent of these charges, unless it is proved in court."

"The International Cricket Council Court is due to announce its decision to tomorrow, but criminal procedure is now active." "It is extremely important that nothing should be reported which could prejudice the trial".

Accepting corrupt payments is an offence under the prevention of Corruption Act 1906 and results in a maximum penalty of imprisonment seven years and an unlimited fine. Cheating is an offence contrary to section 42 of the Gambling Act 2005. It carries a maximum penalty of imprisonment an unlimited fine and two years.

Higher than the Crown Prosecution Service lawyers reviewed evidence that men conspired to cheat bookmakers for several months. A fifth man, player Wahab Riaz, was also interviewed for caution but he is heard prosecutors did not examine bringing charges against him.

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Majority of teams oppose reducing County Championship to 14 matches a side

 Job done: Hampshire celebrate victory during the Friends Provident T20 Final over Somerset at The Rose Bowl on Aug 14 last year Photo: GETTY IMAGES

When county chairmen and chief executives met at Lord’s two weeks ago to discuss possible changes to the structure for next year, eight counties asked for more time to consider their position.

The ECB then sent out a questionnaire to counties which had to be returned to Lord’s by last Friday.

Telegraph Sport understands the questionnaire is likely to produce a 12-6 vote in favour of retaining the 16-match championship structure.

Counties have been warned that retaining the existing structure would probably be at the expense of English participation in the Champions League T20, whose recent scheduling has clashed with the end of the English season. Last season Hamshire and Somerset lost out when a change of dates by the Champions League caused a serious overlap with the ECB’s schedule.

Withdrawal from the Champions League would cost each county £50,000, significantly more to the two who qualify for the global event, but the majority of counties regard the integrity of the County Championship as being more important.

“I don’t think that the Champions League should determine what we are doing in county cricket,” said Leicestershire chief executive Mike Siddall. “We don’t know how the Champions League will stand up in the long term and we don’t believe that the ECB should be bowing down to a competition that benefits just two counties.”

The 14-strong ECB board, which includes four county chairmen in Peter Wright (Nottinghamshire), Colin Graves (Yorkshire), Ian Lovett (Middlesex) and Nigel Hilliard (Essex), must now decide whether to support the view of the majority of counties or back Team England who would like to reduce the amount of county cricket.

The Professional Cricketers’ Association canvassed its 18 county representatives which produced mixed messages. The representatives, who consulted with their players, voted 14-4 in favour of retaining a 16-match County Championship but were split 10-8 for a 14-match format if it meant sacrificing playing in the Champions League.

“We believe that the County Championship is it stands produces good cricketers for England and competitive and intense cricket. We mess with it at our peril,” said PCA chief executive Angus Fraser.

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The majority of teams oppose reducing County Championship 14 matches to a side

Work done: Hampshire celebrate the victory in the final of the Friends Provident T20 over Somerset at the Rose Bowl on August 14 last year Photo: GETTY IMAGES

When county Presidents and business leaders gathered in the Lord two weeks to discuss possible changes to the structure for the next year, eight counties requested more time to consider their position.

The ECB then sent a questionnaire to the counties which had to be returned to the Lord by last Friday.

That sport Telegraph understands that the questionnaire is likely to produce a vote of 12-6 to keep the structure of 16-match Championship.

Counties have been notified that retaining the existing structure would probably to the detriment of recent English Champions League T20, including scheduling participation has faced the end of the English season. The season was last power and Somerset lost when a change of date by the Champions League has caused a serious overlap with the calendar of the ECB.

The withdrawal of the Champions League would cost each county £ 50,000, significantly more to the two who qualify for the world event, but the majority of counties see the integrity of the County Championship as being more important.

"I do not think that the Champions League must determine what we do in county cricket,", said Chief Executive Mike Siddall Leicestershire. "We do not know how the Champions League will be standing in the long term and we do not believe that the ECB should be bowing down to a competition that benefits just two counties."

14-Fort ECB Council, which includes four Presidents Peter Wright counties (Nottinghamshire), Colin graves (Yorkshire), Ian Lovett (Middlesex) and Nigel Hilliard (Essex), must now decide whether the opinion of the majority of counties or team England who wishes to reduce the amount of cricket for the County of return.

Professional cricketers Association review in-depth its 18 representatives of County produces ambiguous messages. The representatives, who consulted with their players, vote 14-4 in favour of keeping a 16-match County Championship, but were split 10-8 for a 14-match format if it meant sacrificing playing in the Champions League.

"We believe that the County Championship is that it provides good cricket for England and intense and competitive cricket players." "We mess with it at our peril,", said the BCP Executive Chief Angus Fraser.

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