Time for cricket to split?

[Matt79]

Ok, now I realise this is a fraught thread to start at the moment, and I ask at the outset that the mod team at least give it a chance to see whether it can go on without going off the rails. GUYS - PLEASE DON'T FLAME IN HERE!

But I think it would be interesting to at least see what people's attitudes to this point are. A few commentators, and posters here as well, have said that the current episode between India and Australia could blow up into a full blown crisis and lead to a split between the "ICC" and an Indian led bloc.

Most commentary has started from the assumption that this would be a disastrous development with overwhelmingly negative consequences. However the fact that it is being considered obviously means that some people think it would be a better alternative than continuing in the current set-up.

The purpose of this thread is to see what proportion of people think it would be better for a split to occur. If people want to say why they can, but again, keep it as non-abusive as possible folks - this isn't an invitation to rant or flame other members.

And before anyone posts a "Public Polls FFS", I've deliberately left this private as I'd be interested in the more honest proportion of answers we might get if it’s kept private.

 

[Glacier]

Who do you think'll join the Indian bloc?

 

[Langeveldt]

I'd personally like to see a split.. if the little boys in the playground can't play nicely they need to be separated.. I'm sick to the back teeth of cricket being overshadowed by bickering and it's time something was done about it.. Depends who would join an indian led block, but I don't think I'd miss anyone from it

 

[NUFAN]

A resounding NO from me.

 

[pasag]

A resounding NO from me.

 

[LongHopCassidy]

Nyet. Splits have only ever hurt Test cricket.

 

[honestbharani]

I think the time has come for cricket to split away from abuses on the field, racial AND personal...


apart from that, no need for any splits, IMHO....

 

[pasag]

I'd personally like to see a split.. if the little boys in the playground can't play nicely they need to be separated.. I'm sick to the back teeth of cricket being overshadowed by bickering and it's time something was done about it.. Depends who would join an indian led block, but I don't think I'd miss anyone from it

IIRC you started a similar thread a while back, would be interesting to see how various attitudes have changed since then.

 

[silentstriker]

I'd personally like to see a split.. if the little boys in the playground can't play nicely they need to be separated.. I'm sick to the back teeth of cricket being overshadowed by bickering and it's time something was done about it.. Depends who would join an indian led block, but I don't think I'd miss anyone from it

Most likely it would be India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, West Indies, and perhaps, believe it or not, South Africa. Since their reintroduction, they've been voting less and less with the Eng/Aus and more towards the subcontinent sides. You might be stuck with us bickerers.

England, Australia, and New Zealand would not join.

 

[Matt79]

West Indies and South Africa would be the ones that might go either way.

Don't think West Indies are particularly pleased with how Bucknor's been dealt with. And IF, repeat IF, Harbhajan's ban is upheld at appeal, and that causes the split, I would guess they'd take a dim view of a rebellion to defend the right to call someone a monkey.

 

[silentstriker]

West Indies and South Africa would be the ones that might go either way.

Don't think West Indies are particularly pleased with how Bucknor's been dealt with. And IF, repeat IF, Harbhajan's ban is upheld at appeal, and that causes the split, I would guess they'd take a dim view of a rebellion to defend the right to call someone a monkey.

Well this thing isn't ever going to cause a split. I was speaking in a broader term. West Indies cannot survive if they don't join the BCCI faction, unless CA/ECB heavily subsidize the WICB.

 

[river end]

I'm not a passionate supporter for or against a split but I believe it could happen.

No other major team sport, as far as I am aware, has such a huge emphasis on the international level in ratio to the domestic game as cricket.
Let's face it - 98% of cricket fans are only passionate about one team - their national team. Domestic leagues generate relatively little interest or passion.

This situation was bound to come to a head and boil over into nationalistic fervour and fanaticism, as the sport has become more professional. Objective thinking usually goes out the window when you wrap yourself in a flag.

No other sport has the intimacy of 2 often totally different cultures having to co-exist for such an extended period of time (2 or 3 months), as an international cricket tour requires.

The opportunities for tensions and therefore conflicts to arise are greater.

 

[burr]

Absolutely NOT. The idea is utterly ridiculous in my opinion. Everyone in cricket needs to grow up - players, media, officialdom and accept it's just game. It may be a cliche, but it's a good one.

 

[Goughy]

Well this thing isn't ever going to cause a split. I was speaking in a broader term. West Indies cannot survive if they don't join the BCCI faction, unless CA/ECB heavily subsidize the WICB.

Do you know what tourist revenue home series against England bring for the Islands?

Its a huge amount.

Add into that that the Bucknor situation and financially and politically WI would go where England went.

 

[Lord Flasheart]

Most likely it would be India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, West Indies, and perhaps, believe it or not, South Africa. Since their reintroduction, they've been voting less and less with the Eng/Aus and more towards the subcontinent sides. You might be stuck with us bickerers.

England, Australia, and New Zealand would not join.

I don't think that Ricky and the boys would have any trouble extending their consecutive wins record if this happened.

 

[silentstriker]

Do you know what tourist revenue home series against England bring for the Islands?

Its a huge amount.

Add into that that the Bucknor situation and financially and politically WI would go where England went.

It is, but how much do the Indian series bring? WI have been on the CA/ECB faction, but if you notice for the past six or seven years, they've steadily been voting more and more with the South Asian bloc. The Bucknor situation will not cause a split, but assuming there is a split sometime in the future after this thing has died down, and I would pretty much bet anything they would join the South Asia faction.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

It is, but how much do the Indian series bring?

Very true. Series against India (and to a lesser extent Pakistan and Sri Lanka) are huge earners for the WICB usually. The number of people of Indian descent in the region ensures this.

 

[Slow Love™]

Yeah, here's the previous thread on this issue:

http://forum.cricketweb.net/showthread.php?t=19029&highlight=split

I was reading a cricinfo blog entry the other day on this affair, by an Indian writer who was complaining about the hysteria of the reaction, and I lost count of the amount of times he was derided as an imperial lackey, or the sheer amount of times the year 1947 was mentioned. If the game is going to be approached as a never-ending spiteful revenge against the Imperium, it's no wonder things get so out of hand. The other thing I find very irritating is the vocal wielding of power by many Indians - yes, it was obviously undesirable that white countries used to control cricket and other countries had a limited, if any, say, but that doesn't mean the opposite being true now is desirable, either. It's amazing how some people have no ability to learn from the past. Hopefully the actual Indian players don't share this attitude.

My vote is still no, anyhow, in the sense that I would certainly not be in favor of a split.

 

[duffer]

I wouldn't go as far as to call it an inferiority complex but my take on the situation is that the major gripe being held by the Asian block is a perceived lack of interest from the ICC in adressing it's concerns.

Recently as the Dennes, Hair and Bucknor saga's have shown that the teams from the sub-continent in particular India feel that the only way they are taken seriously is by threatening a boycott/breakaway. They feel all official avenues of protest that are in place will more or less result in a cold shoulder being shown to their concerns.

In particular this Bucknor saga, whether we like it or not it has been in the pipeline for a long time. On previous occasions India have felt agrieved by Steve's umpiring starting from a match in Joberg a very long time ago and the whole Dravid having the mick being taken out of him on the field by Bucknor. They've lodged official protests, been scathing in match reports, hell even John Wright was so incensed by what happened that he went to Ranjan Madugalle and protested mid-match to him. Yet nothingly seemingly happened, no dialogue between umpire and players or team officials and it's only now that the **** has well and truly hit the fan and a boycott threatened that the ICC decided something needs to be done.

Add to the already high level of distrust that India has with the ICC's sense of justice, there's also a large perception in India that the BCCI don't do enough to stand up to the ICC and it puts a huge pressure on the Indian authorities to make it look like they're taking a stand.

The only way to stopa breakaway league is by amking it seem like the official avenues available to teams to debate and air grievances seem worthwhile otherwise it really is inevitable a split happenens. As much as India have overreacted, the passiveness of the ICC in calming down tensions that have been simmering for a very long time is just as big a contributor to the ****storm we have now.

 

[silentstriker]

I wouldn't go as far as to call it an inferiority complex but my take on the situation is that the major gripe being held by the Asian block is a perceived lack of interest from the ICC in adressing it's concerns.

Recently as the Dennes, Hair and Bucknor saga's have shown that the teams from the sub-continent in particular India feel that the only way they are taken seriously is by threatening a boycott/breakaway. They feel all official avenues of protest that are in place will more or less result in a cold shoulder being shown to their concerns.

In particular this Bucknor saga, whether we like it or not it has been in the pipeline for a long time. On previous occasions India have felt agrieved by Steve's umpiring starting from a match in Joberg a very long time ago and the whole Dravid having the mick being taken out of him on the field by Bucknor. They've lodged official protests, been scathing in match reports, hell even John Wright was so incensed by what happened that he went to Ranjan Madugalle and protested mid-match to him. Yet nothingly seemingly happened, no dialogue between umpire and players or team officials and it's only now that the **** has well and truly hit the fan and a boycott threatened that the ICC decided something needs to be done.

Add to the already high level of distrust that India has with the ICC's sense of justice, there's also a large perception in India that the BCCI don't do enough to stand up to the ICC and it puts a huge pressure on the Indian authorities to make it look like they're taking a stand.

The only way to stopa breakaway league is by amking it seem like the official avenues available to teams to debate and air grievances seem worthwhile otherwise it really is inevitable a split happenens. As much as India have overreacted, the passiveness of the ICC in calming down tensions that have been simmering for a very long time is just as big a contributor to the ****storm we have now.

Pretty much agreed.