Following a tense meeting of the International Cricket Council (ICC) in Dubai last week, it may appear that opponents of the sneak attack by India, Australia and England to take over the game have made significant gains. That, however, would be a mistaken view. The proposals stealthily drawn up by the three were so outrageous that it is clear that their strategy was to win crucial support by shedding the patent non-starters while doling out sweeteners to the weak-willed. By the end of the meeting, the trio was short of one and possibly two votes to carry the radical reforms through. Another meeting has been scheduled for February 8th at which time a vote is likely to be taken.
Discarded immediately was the abominable proposal that the three would be permanently immune from relegation in a two-tier Test system. The fact that this was even the subject of discussion in a formal proposal to the ICC immediately devalues the entire discussion. However, it is clear that the main thrust of the proposals is to have cricket controlled by the three and a major redistribution of cricketing revenues. These two aspects are still alive and it looks like the trio could be chasing 200 runs on the final day with six wickets in hand and a deteriorating pitch in front of them.
Eight of the 10 permanent members of the ICC have to vote in favour of the proposals. Shockingly and disappointingly our own West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) has fallen for the blandishments of the three which, if the proposals are passed will see an imperfect but democratic forum traded for hegemonic control by India and its two handmaidens: England and Australia. By signalling its support for these proposals purely on the grounds of how much money is to flow into the region, overcoming the issue of unprofitable tours and the availability of extra funding to support Test cricket, the WICB has separated itself from the seminal aspirations of the founders of its team i.e. the throwing off of the yoke of dominion and the right to equality. There is no equality in these proposals. The triumvirate has already shown its hand. It has proposed that for a two-year transition period from this year, India’s Board of Control for Cricket (BCCI) will chair the ICC with Australia and England heading two key ICC committees.
To its eternal credit, Cricket South Africa (CSA) has held the firmest in its spurning of the proposals, together with Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Bangladesh waivers amid a flurry of saccharine offers from the trio including an Indian tour. Pakistan, without Test cricket at home since a 2009 terrorist attack on a Sri Lankan team is also vulnerable. New Zealand, Zimbabwe and the West Indies have thrown in their lot, hopefully not irreversibly, with the so-called `Big Three’.
CSA from the very start adopted a forthright and sensible position. Following the end of last week’s meeting where a final vote was thwarted, the CSA set about seeking re-validation and fortification of its position. Its Head Mr Chris Nenzani was reported as saying “We will be convening a joint session of our CSA Board and certain key stakeholders as soon as is practically possible to consider the principles” (of the proposals). He added, “One of the hallmarks of our new administration has been an absolute adherence to the principles of good corporate governance and we do not intend to deviate from this. Our position will be subject to full consideration by our Board and other stakeholders”. Good to his word, that meeting was held in South Africa on Saturday and Mr Nenzani said after its end “We had very fruitful and constructive session …After carefully considering the ICC revamp proposals, we have reached a position where we will need to engage further with the ICC leadership before we can reach a consensus position ahead of next Saturday’s ICC board meeting…I am confident that we can reach agreement based on the principles that we strongly adhere to,” said Mr Nenzani.
One wishes that these positions had been laid out by the WICB President, Mr Dave Cameron. It is not too late. The people of the West Indies and their regional boards have a right to know what exactly the board has done and plans to do in their name. Except for a shadowy emergency meeting with its constituent board members, the West Indian public is in the dark as to exactly what proposal from the ICC was before the WICB, what was the substance of the discussion, what stand it took at the ICC meeting and what its final position on this matter will be. Given the delay in the final vote on this very controversial matter, Mr Cameron and his fellow directors have the time and an obligation to seek validation of their position just as how CSA has commendably done. Ultimately, the WICB should not be voting in favour of any decision which will result in a diminution of its right and voice in the halls where decisions affecting cricket are made. India, Australia and England have cynically sought to sway the vote by offering a second seat on a five-member governing body. That is not an acceptable compromise. There is great honour in holding steadfast to the position that the West Indies and the WICB must have a right equal to the `Big Three’ and all others in international cricket. What was achieved in 1993 with the rolling back of the veto powers of England and Australia must not now be so meekly surrendered.
There is a welcome momentum gathering against these proposals. Transparency International on Tuesday voiced serious concern at the reform proposals saying they violate the “principles of good governance” and could lead to an increase in “corruption” within the game.
In a statement, TI chapters from nine cricket-playing countries, including India, England and Australia, said that “these proposals substantially depart from the principles of good governance and appear to heighten the risk of corruption within the game of cricket”.
“For instance: many member countries are effectively dis-enfranchised; there remains a worrying lack of transparency in many areas; there is no clarity on how the ICC aims to assess and mitigate corruption risk at an administrative level,” TI said.
“There is no provision for independent Board representation; and the intention to entrench a privileged position for ‘The Big Three’ appears to be an abuse of entrusted power for private gain, giving them disproportionate, unaccountable and unchallengeable authority on a wide variety of constitutional, personnel, integrity, ethics, development and nomination matters,” it added.
Former inspirational Pakistani captain Mr Imran Khan placed the focus where it should be: on the quality of today’s game and not the wiles of the dollar. He was reported by Agence France-Presse as saying,
“If I was the PCB (Pakistan Cricket Board) head I would have strongly objected (to) the new colonial system”.
“I think the answer is to make the ICC more productive for the betterment of cricket.”
Khan told AFP that the game was in “genuine crisis”.
“There is a lack of quality in players, if you talk of spinners or fast bowlers or batsmen, and unless a correct mix is not found cricket will suffer,” he said.
“The revenue is coming but money should not be decisive and that’s why the quality is suffering which is disastrous.”
These are sage words and the final position of the WICB should be informed not only by inflows of dollars which oftentimes are misspent or worse but by how the game, its governance and the fortunes of the West Indies can be lifted.
