2015 World Cup: 10 teams and no associates

[silentstriker]

I really don't quite understand what he point of having associates is, if they don't get chances to play and advance. ICC could save itself some money, and end calls of hypocrisy, if they just disbanded all cricket support outside the top ten. Why are they even playing lip service to 'expanding' the game? How can they do that with a straight face?

This decision is quite possibly the stupidest thing that the ICC have done in quite some time, and that alone is saying something. If I were an Irish cricket fan, it'd be time to move on to other sports whose administrators (looking at you, the heads of England and India, who apparently pushed for this) aren't too busy with petty bickering and actually think about the sport for once.

 

[Prad100w]

I am stunned. This is ****ing bizarre. Have taken this game into the soul all my life. Absolutely disappointed. ICC has once again proven they are bunch of ****ing clowns. What is the difference between champions trophy and world cup now. Surely can't be called as a world cup without the world in it. Feels really sad for Irish cricket. They deserved to be there. Haroon Lorgat you are ****.

 

[dfx-]

It's not so much arguing whether Ireland would've been able to compete or that it is ten teams.

It is not being given a chance which saddens me - not even a qualifier. Surely we deserved the dignity of losing out in a qualifier...instead we're being killed off.

Apart from the waste of talent that is there now, how cricket clubs here are supposed to turn around and tell new kids "Well that's as good as it gets for 12 years" and keep them interested, I don't know

 

[Prad100w]

That surely ends my following of the so called World cup.

 

[Janus]

I've previously made my mind known on this subject, that opinion hasn't changed. The ICC is a private members club and is unfit to be called a Sports "Governing Body". It must be replaced immediately and I'd call on all cricketers who are interested in the development of the game to Shun the ICC and Develop a new body to replace this club in an attempt to at-least democratise cricket in a way that befits the concept of sportsmanship.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Travesty, frankly.

Ten teams is bad enough but to give the associates absolutely no chance of qualifying is shameful.

Not that it'll count for anything but I think the reaction on here speaks for itself. No cricket fan of any nationality thinks this is a good thing for the sport.

If the ECB has had a hand in this I'm embarrassed to be an English cricket fan.

 

[Jono]

I wish Ireland beat Bangladesh now. Or I wish they were in the same league as Zimbabwe and won.

So wrong.

 

[M0rphin3]

****ing crackheads. Worst news I've heard in a while.

 

[zaremba]

Nothing good to be said about this. Nothing.

 

[Dissector]

Well the associates get to play the TT world cup right? In many ways that's a much better format for weaker teams; they will be more competitive and if they aren't their games won't last for so long. From a professional point of view it allows their players to make an impression and perhaps get a contract in one of the TT leagues.

Personally I think the 10 team round-robin format is the best from both a commercial and cricket perspective. However I agree that associates should at least get a chance to participate. I would probably have 8 teams qualifying based on host status and ICC rankings. The remaining teams have another tournament for the last two places.

Thus you would probably have BD, Zim, Ireland, Netherlands and perhaps a couple more associates fight for the last two places.

 

[fredfertang]

I can't see that this will be the last word on this

In July 1991 South Africa were readmitted to the ICC on the basis it was made clear that the schedules would not be changed to allow them to participate in the 1992 World Cup

..... but come October they changed their minds and in February 1992 South Africa were there with everyone else

 

[Flem274*]

Yuck.

A lot has already been said about Ireland. I'll just add that if England were involved in pushing for this, then the cynic in me sees exactly why. 1) Gives England access to more Irish players and 2) they're bitter they got owned by the Irish despite Ireland's best batsman playing on their side.

It's not just Ireland I feel for though. What about Afghanistan? They've been improving at a rate of knots, and now they have no where to go.

 

[Jarquis]

Worth noting that Ireland are actually currently ranked 10th in ODIs? So on merit Ireland should be at a 10 team World Cup rather than Zimbabwe...

 

[Uppercut]

Of all the things that have ever happened, this is by far the worst.

 

[quytst0rm]

Well the associates get to play the TT world cup right? In many ways that's a much better format for weaker teams; they will be more competitive and if they aren't their games won't last for so long. From a professional point of view it allows their players to make an impression and perhaps get a contract in one of the TT leagues.

The problem is these associate nations if they make strides in cricket will be good at TT not ODI. Someone mentioned earlier in this thread that countries like Ireland will lose good players to England since they would want to be eligible for ODI and not wait until 2019. Also playing ODI among associate nations isn't a good alternative because these "minnows" get better playing Test nations even if they have to take a trashing. Sri Lanka was considered a minnow even with test status in the 80's but they won the WC in 96.

The ICC has an elitist view that's why cricket hasn't spread worldwide. When its predecessor Imperial Cricket Conference was formed in 1909 they disregarded United States as a cricketing nation even though the sport was quite popular because it wasn't part of the British Empire. Its close minded thinking like this that's holding the sport back. Now you have a "Champions Trophy" every two years instead of a "World Cup" every four.

 

[klusener]

Awful move. It's not so much that the number of teams in the WC has been curtailed to 10 (that's quite all right, imo), but it's just unbelievable that they are not even going to allow the top associate nations like Ireland and Afghanistan an opportunity to qualify, most likely by going up against the bottom-ranked teams in Bangladesh and Zimbabwe. The sport was beginning to grow in popularity in Afghanistan and in Ireland, perhaps to a lesser extent, as well. It just sets a distressing precedent for the growth of the sport moving forward.

It would be heartening to see players from different nations, and perhaps national boards too, voice their support for Ireland and protest this move, along with prominent cricket writers and commentators.

I also wonder whether concerned fans could organize a boycott of some upcoming matches (particularly those involving Ireland) and show their opposition by simply not showing up.

 

[robelinda]

Abysmal stuff. I blame India.

 

[turnstyle]

Abysmal stuff. I blame India.

I don't blame India as much as i blame the ECB. From all reports they were the instigators behind it. They've just picked up two handy young cricketers in Dockrell and Stirling out of it, and will probably be keeping a close eye on what other guys they can take from our u/19's.

 

[Nate]

So, so stupid. Aren't Ireland ranked above Zimbabwe in ODIs anyway?!

 

[GIMH]

Don't get me wrong, I fully believe the ECB being behind this but can I have a link or two?