The cricket structure reminds us of the colonial times. First of all the Test Cricket is limited to just a handful 10 teams that belong to Commonwealth. The things would have been fine if the Test cricket was limited to these nations and rest of the nations have a fair share. But this was never the case. The earning of ICC (International Cricket Council) was distributed in an totally disgusting manner. The 10 full test playing members got 75% of the funding while the 36 Associate Members and 59 Affiliate members get the rest of the pie 25%. This is not limited here itself. The ICC governing body has got 13 voting members. 1 each for great Test nations while 3 Associate Representatives for 36 Associate. For any normal resolution to pass you need 8 full members to endorse it. Hence the Associates really had no power
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| Time surely in getting over for Politicians like him and their money first policy |
Now in this Colonial Organization run there were 3 masters who run accordingly to their whims and fancies namely: Cricket Australia, England & Wales Cricket Board & Board of Control of Cricket in India aka CA, ECB & BCCI. While CA and ECB were the old masters however in recent times which the change in money power only one was the team that really mattered BCCI
BCCI knew that 70% of the cricketing revenues could come from India. They also knew that the whole nation was crazy for the game. An tour of the Indian team could get any other board huge incomes. It is for the same reason boards like PCB & SLC could be seen sulking for an India tour. BCCI used this position well. Using the money and touring power they easily manipulated votes of PCB, BCB, SLC, ZC in their favor. This meant that BCCI could block anything it did not like while whatever it liked it was very easy to push it through
For the associates BCCI was a complete disaster and anti force. While the other Test Nations have been seen supporting the lesser nation, the BCCI after money arrogance never did that. We can see Ireland or Scotland playing in English competitions, PNG in Australian ones, Namibia in SA, Afghanistan in Pakistan or even Canada finding a place in Poor WICB but for BCCI, it did not matter. After Indian team went out of 2007 World Cup, the BCCI forced ICC to reduce the World Cup from 16 to 14 to ensure that India plays some number of matches.
For Indians, BCCI seemed to do everything right. They started cash rich IPL, Indian team got No 1 ranking in Test Cricket and after 28 years India won the World Cup. What better can an fan expect from BCCI. But it was due to the fact that BCCI had created a system great to look from outside and rotten inside. The cookie started to crumble as the organization is running for Money first and cricket afterwards while the case should be opposite. It started with Lalit Modi being forced out for Financial Irregularities. Then sacking the KXIP and RR IPL teams (Who fought their way back), sacking Kochi Franchise, then ending Nimbus deal. Then in BCCI style it's most loyal partner did what it did to others. They gave a shock.
The Indian teams which should have been built with more chance to youngsters, more professional approach to domestic cricket and scheduling but all was ignored as the politicians who run the organization had an assumption that money will keep flowing. The other companies have no choice.
It is the same arrogant politicians who reached the ICC with a real corrupt man Mr Sharad Pawar now as its head and another corrupt man Mr Srinivasan representing India. Mr Srinivasan is the same man who has a clear conflict of interest with he being in BCCI while also the owner of CSK but shamelessly plays it down
It was the same Money first people who when reached ICC started to make it work that way. They had a strategy document what the decisions were done as per convenience. A world cup for just 10 Test Nations (An they wanted it to be known as WC. Laughable) and then reverted it back to 14 nations while taking the revenge through reducing the T20 WC from 16 to 12 even when a global tournament for qualification had started
With BCCI crumbling and the Lord Woolf's report coming at the right time, BCCI is on back foot to force it things on world cricket. If there are other sensible people in other cricketing boards they should go for immediate implementation of report. It is a matter of time that BCCI would be forced to become more professional because it is cricket and the nation will ask for answers.
I am really hopeful as the universe seems to be conspiring against BCCI, listening to millions of prayers of the cricket fans from the Associate World. Lets hope we finish the bad phase and get into a "One Team One Vote" phase for cricket
