Boosting Test Cricket: ICC's Dedicated Fundfrom 2025
The International Cricket Council (ICC) could introduce a dedicated fund by 2025 to bolster Test cricket and support other cricket boards in their potential fight against lucrative franchise leagues. The driving force behind this initiative is Cricket Australia chair Mark Baird, who has also obtained support from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).
The aim is to create a universal fund offering a minimum standard match fee of approximately US $10,000 (£7,600) to players. The fund anticipates increasing the player pull holds an equitable chance against high paying short-format matches worldwide. This measure will not only make Test cricket more appealing to the players but also alleviate the costs shouldered by less affluent boards.
It is worth noting that nations besides India, Australia, and England, who are exempt from this fund, often endure a loss concerning red-ball cricket, even as participants rather than hosts. Cricket West Indies' outgoing CEO Johnny Grave unveiled? the astronomical cost that the board had to bear during their Australia tour earlier this year, a whopping US $2 million.
The proposed fund of approximately US $15 million (£11 million) is believed to have the consensus of BCCI secretary Jay Shah and ECB chair Richard Thompson. Despite being in the nascent stage and not yet formally deliberated by the ICC board or their executive committee, Baird remains assured.
He expressed his excitement to the Sydney Morning Herald about the momentum the Test-match fund is gaining, emphasizing the need to eliminate hurdles and maintain Test cricket's prestige amidst the emerging variations of white-ball cricket.
The prospect of offering a "touring fee" to visiting teams was brought to light when ECB chief executive Richard Gould disclosed a plan to pay Zimbabwe when they come for a one-off Test at Trent Bridge on May 22. The idea was initiated a year ago by Gould, but only now has it started becoming a tangible reality.
The diverse economics surrounding global cricket have prompted boards to engage in some form of mutual accords. In the Caribbean, the ECB has agreed to three additional T20Is for their 2023 tour, providing significant financial gain for West Indies. As a bonus for the recent West Indies Test series in England, the ECB plans to facilitate a West Indies Under-19 tour to the UK.
