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Journalism of Courage
The ICC is looking at giving back Test matches their place at the top of crickets pantheon.
ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat wants to see Twenty20 cricket kept in its place and test matches become more meaningful as the game8217;s international governing body tries to deal with a crammed calendar.
About two years ago I went to watch Australia play India in Mohali and 8230; there wasn8217;t much support,which was a concern,Lorgat said at the World Twenty20 tournament on Thursday. That isn8217;t what you want to see for the pinnacle of the sport.
We are very keen to promote test cricket and build context.
But 8230; it8217;s the quality of the games that will attract interest and I think people are starting to realise we need to proactively do something about it.
We need to develop the context 8230; ensure the quality is good and schedule them at the right times.
Lorgat said he felt the ICC had the balance right when it came to international Twenty20 cricket,with a biannual World tournament and restricting the number of games each year,though he was wary against any further encroachment on the calendar of the lucrative Indian Premier League.
There would be concerns if he grows beyond what it currently is because it just about fits the current schedule,Lorgat said.
But the IPL themselves do not want international players available throughout the event. They are quite happy for contract players to fit around their commitments.
What takes precedents are the international fixtures and we saw that this season.
At the moment we are working it out,it just about fits but there would be practical issues if it extended much more.
CHAMPIONS TROPHY
Lorgat also said while the organisation was committed to the one-day World Cup,he was less emphatic in his backing for the Champions Trophy when asked if it8217;s status would be reviewed.
There8217;s no reason why we shouldn8217;t,we are always open-minded,he said.
We talk about day/night tests,we talk about all sorts of innovations so there8217;s no reason why we shouldn8217;t challenge the Champions Trophy.
I think we succeeded in differentiating it last year,the players were very excited by the short duration so it was a different experience for them.
It was often referred to as a mini World Cup which I was keen to remove from the table because it isn8217;t a mini World Cup.
We have found a place for the Champions Trophy but we still look at all our events and how to position them in the future.
Lorgat added he felt the ICC was in a good position to deal with the twin spectre of matchfixing and corruption,which had threatened to tear the game apart 10 years ago.
I think we have got a very solid foundation and structures and processes to deal with most of these challenges that come to the table now,he said.
Having said that I8217;m not naive and recognise that the greater the sport becomes,the more exciting it becomes,the more productive it becomes,the more money that it attracts,the bigger the challenges.
But I think we have got a system and structure that is fairly robust to deal with most things that we face,he said.
