MUMBAI, (Reuters) – Haroon Lorgat, the International Cricket Council’s chief executive, addressed some of the sport’s challenges four days before the World Cup begins in an interview with Reuters today.
Here is a selection of his comments:
On changes to World Cup format which pitches the 14 finalists into two round-robin first-round groups of seven, a format which appears to ensure none of the big test-playing nations are knocked out early as happened in 2007 with India and Pakistan:
LORGAT: “We’re trying to ensure we give every team the best opportunity of remaining in the competition and not losing out just because of one bad game … so that the best do go through.”
The readiness of the competition hosts — India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh — to hold the event after construction concerns at five grounds including in Mumbai where the final is scheduled to be played on April 2:
LORGAT: “We’ve got to the point now when all of the venues are going to be ready for the games scheduled. There isn’t an issue about the readiness of stadiums.”
Following the five-year bans given to a trio of Pakistan cricketers for cheating last year in England:
LORGAT: “The particular verdict and sanctions contribute to sending quite a strong message. If you do transgress and if you do get engaged in corrupt activities we will hunt you down and we will prosecute.”
On security measures taken ahead of the World Cup:
LORGAT: “We’re mature in our processes, we’re very robust and as a consequence of our experiences.. we’ve got systems and personnel in place. It’s in fact a non-issue.”
Are top cricketers being over-worked and becoming burned-out by a crammed calendar of domestic and international commitments?
LORGAT: “We have reached a point where we think it is the optimum but there is also some onus on the players, on the coaches, on the selectors to rotate or manage their squads accordingly.”
Why the DRS (decision review system), where players can ask for on-field umpire decisions to be reviewed, has been introduced to the World Cup for the first time:
LORGAT: “There was a strong feeling that the World Cup, being the World Cup, we would not want an error to cause a result that should not have been. It was quite clear among the vast majority (of the ICC) that we should use the DRS in the World Cup to avoid a clear error.”
Is the ICC doing enough to promote the game around the world in non test-playing nations?
LORGAT: “We have stepped up our promotional efforts in spreading the game. We’ve got fantastic world cricket leagues and the rise of Afghanistan for example through that particular league structure helps to sell a story.”
