MATCH REPORTS
STAT SHEET
DIARY
OTHER SPORTS
SLIDE SHOW
PEOPLE
DEAR REDIFF

Mini World Cup in September 1998

The ICC knock-out cup, involving all Test playing countries, will be held at Sharjah during September-October 1998.

President of the International Cricket Council Jagmohan Dalmiya told newsmen here in Calcutta that the Under-19 World Cup, involving 16 countries, will be held from January 11, 1998 in South Africa.

Dalmiya indicated that the original intention was to hold the ICC Cup in Bangladesh. However, climatic conditions there during the period in question were not, it was felt, conducive and therefore, it was decided to hold the tournament in Sharjah.

Even Disneyland was considered as a possible venue during the recent meeting of the ICC at Calcutta. However, lack of infrastructure caused that venue to be ruled out.

The ICC Cup, seen as a mini-World Cup given that all Test-playing nations will participate, is intended to raise funds for various developmental programme of the ICC.

In course of the meeting, the ICC executive committee decided to have five development managers, one for each region in the world, to promote the game.

Dalmiya pointed out that the upcoming Under-19 World Cup in South Africa is a first, since such a tournament has never been held before. Sixteen countries -- Australia, England, India, Kenya, Scotland, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Namibia, Sri Lanka, West Indies, Zimbabwe, Ireland, Bangladesh, Papua New Guinea and Denmark -- will participate. The last named is a wild card entry.

Referring to the much-discussed world championship of Tests, Dalmiya said that the proposal was still on the drawing board, under scrutiny by a high-powered sub-committee of the ICC. The sub-committee will submit its final report during the next ICC meeting, scheduled to be held in Calcutta in June 1998.

Asked if the world championship of Tests is envisaged before the turn of the century, Dalmiya said, "It depends on a lot of things".

Supplementing Dalmiya's words, ICC executive director David Richards said a lot of research work was going on, as part of a bid to figure out how to hold such a championship. "We would also have to find a suitable time slot for this", Richards said.

Meanwhile, Dalmiya said that in course of the ICC meeting, it was decided, in principle, to observe a "cricket week" every year throughout the world, to create awareness about the game and as part of a drive to globalise cricket.

Richards went on to give details of the ICC Cup, saying that the format provided for a total of nine matches -- one pre-quarter final, four quarter finals, two semifinals and the final. It has not yet been decided whether the tournament would be played during the day, or as a day-night contest.

The question of full Test-playing status for Bangladesh would be reviewed at the next ICC meeting, in June 1998.

Asked whether the ICC would put in place some kind of norms regarding the number of Tests and ODIs to be played by each country, Dalmiya said that such issues had to be decided upon by the individual countries, and that the ICC would not lay down any rules in this regard.

Asked about the controversy arising out of the recently concluded third Pepsi Test between India and Sri Lanka, when the umpires -- Steve Bucknor and A V Jayaprakash -- called off play on the final day citing bad light, without any reference to the third umpire, Dalmiya said that the issue had not been referred to the ICC as yet. As and when the issue was raised -- in all probability via a report by match referee Bobby Simpson -- the ICC cricket committee would examine it, Dalmiya added.