28 March,2010 01:14 AM IST | | Ian Chappell
The IPL,s announcement that it will expand by two teams next season could force the ICC to confront an issue they,ve so far side-stepped; a wide-ranging vision for the game,s future.
Whilst the IPL insist the expansion won,t result in a longer tournament it,s abundantly clear that the rise and rise of T20 cricket has already put the squeeze on scheduling. Now is the time to rationalise cricket,s various itineraries and decide what role each version has in the game,s future.u00a0u00a0
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One way to clarify this situation would be to scrap country versus country T20 contests and make the highest level of competition a battle between cities. This way a "T20 season" could evolve with the champions of each domestic League playing off to decide the best side. The ideal times for these tournaments (for starters) would be in the March-April and September-October periods. Eventually, a World Series could be held, pitting the IPL champions against the winner of the domestic team competition in a best of three play-off series.u00a0
The way to globalise cricket is via T20 and the most effective method of achieving this result would be to employ a franchise system, especially in the non-traditional cricket regions. The big question is what form these franchises should take?
One lucrative income stream has already by-passed the ICC with the IPL franchises run by Indian entrepreneurs and the substantial money that,s returned to cricket benefitting the BCCI. The ICC would only jettison the current World T20 event if it could effectively replace the income it receives from this competition.
Therefore, they need to ensure that any franchise system they devise results in a reasonable percentage of the money being ploughed back into the development of the game.
This means coming up with a formula that involves cricket administrators working with entrepreneurial businessmen. This will be a difficult balance to strike; asking conservative officials to form a harmonious relationship with strident capitalists.
However, handled efficiently it could be a way for regions like the Caribbean to have more control over funds for their player development schemes. And if an infusion of business acumen also happens to improve the efficiency of cricket administration in places like Pakistan and the West Indies it could only benefit the game.u00a0
If the ICC doesn,t take firm control over the rampant T20 expansion the IPL will. They,ll quickly spread their wings ensuring the bulk of the income will end up either in the bulging pockets of rich entrepreneurs or the abundant coffers of the BCCI. If this occurs it,d be a glorious opportunity missed and the international playing field would remain tilted and the overall development of cricket would suffer.
If, on the other hand the ICC develop the right formula for franchising it could have a profound effect on the future direction of the game. Not only could it result in successfully expanding to regions like North America, Europe and the non-traditional cricket areas of Asia it may also mean a marked change in the way the game is run.
A clearly defined schedule could eventually lead to separate "seasons" for the different versions of the game.
Currently, countries like Australia have a dilemma; the domestic T20 competition is becoming more popular with each game but this has diluted the fans, spending power for international cricket. Consequently the crowds at Limited Overs internationals are down. In most parts of the cricketing world this is a common problem; one form of the game cannibalising another.u00a0
India is the only cricket playing country with the population, the thriving economy and the fanatical interest in the game to be able to program matches at virtually anytime and still attract big crowds.
Hence the need for the ICC to explore other potentially productive markets that will decrease their dependence on India,s financial clout, while also adding to the number of venues available at varying times of the year.
There is the possibility if you allocate separate sections of the season to different forms of the game it will divide the spectators. It could become a case of; "I,m a Test match supporter" or "I,m a T20 fan".
Nevertheless, it could also help players transition more easily from one form to another.
If what Harsha Bhogle tells me is true; "India thrives in chaos" then the rest of the cricket world is in trouble. Currently, cricket,s scheduling is chaotic.
