| (A) Popularise cricket! | | | | abuse. |
| 1. Restructure Current test teams. | | | | 6. Play the National Anthem before the start of each |
| For Cricket to improve first the quality of the current | | | | match in the World Cup. |
| test teams should be improved. Teams like England | | | | 7. Playoff for 3rd place in the WC |
| and West Indies need to be more competitive. Here | | | | 8. Gold, Silver or Bronze Medals given to each player |
| are some suggestions: | | | | in WC. (like in football) |
| - Introduce cricket in schools and colleges. | | | | 9. Have at least 24 teams play in the WC. |
| - More cricket competitions should be held. | | | | 10. For the World Cup international icons should be |
| - Cricket telecasts should be shown on free to air | | | | made chief guests. eg UN Sec. General, Monarch of |
| channels. | | | | England, sportstars, premiers etc. |
| - Short forms of the sportlike twenty20 should be | | | | ICC Online |
| played to capture public imagination. | | | | |
| - Improvement of cricket stadiums and fields. | | | | 1. Obtain the domain names like cricket.com, .org, etc. |
| - Increase the competiveness of domestic | | | | 2. In the site have detailed info like player and team |
| competition. | | | | stats, current news, player profiles, how the sport is |
| - Selection based only on merit NOT on quotas. | | | | played, links to national boards, online telecast of |
| - Encouraging native peoples such as coloureds, | | | | matches, history, facts and stats, rankings etc. |
| Aborigines & Maoris to represent the national | | | | 3. Provide software to calculate the Duckworth Lewis |
| squad. | | | | results. |
| 2. Restructuring Current ODI Teams. | | | | 4. Use latest programming languages like XML, SQL, |
| It is disheartening for the current ODI status teams | | | | ASP etc. for website. |
| to play only during world cups. Such an unfair policy | | | | 5. Setting up of blogs and bulletin boards. |
| would never see new teams improve. Teams such as | | | | 7. Taking on the Globe. |
| Canada, UAE, Scotland, Namibia & Holland should | | | | To encourage more countries to take up cricket, |
| be given permanent ODI status and official | | | | cricket must be marketed well. Teams like Malaysia, |
| tournaments should be played amongst themselves | | | | Nepal, Singapore have a good program and must be |
| and the 3 bottom ranked test teams. An age limit of | | | | encouraged to obtain ODI status. |
| 35 yrs should be imposed to encourage youngsters. | | | | For cricket to succeed regional sporting giants should |
| Kenya should be given Test Status. | | | | be given top priority. These countries are regional |
| 3. League Format | | | | giants and act like a catalyst to spread the sport to |
| All teams Test and ODI should be ranked in groups | | | | neighbouring countries. The countries are: China, USA, |
| of 5. The top 5 will be grp A. Next 5 B and so on. | | | | Russia, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Nigeria |
| Teams in a particular group are allowed to play with | | | | Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Morrocco, Sweden, |
| teams in their own group as well as adjacent groups | | | | Fiji, Argentina and Brazil. |
| only. eg. Group A cannot play group C teams. [Except | | | | Have a brand ambassador for cricket. People who |
| Tests & World Cups] Every year, the groups | | | | know about the sport and are internationally famous |
| are restructured. | | | | should be selected. Names such as Russel Crowe, |
| 4. Improve quality of Upcoming teams | | | | Shaggy, Christian Vieri (footballer ITALY) make good |
| To ensure that debutants in ODI competitions have | | | | ambassadors. |
| an international exposure to cricket before their | | | | Cricket should be introduced equally to all races and |
| debut, international tournaments should be held. | | | | women should also be encouraged to take up the |
| Here's what should be done. | | | | sport. |
| - Two international annual tournaments should be | | | | Marketing Blitz |
| held. Two teams should be selected from each | | | | If I were the president of the ICC, this is what I |
| country. 1. Team that has won the domestic | | | | would do to promote the sport in a country. |
| competition and 2. A mixed bag composed of the | | | | - See that major sport shops stock up cricket gear. |
| best players of the other teams. This would give | | | | - Pitches are readily available. |
| budding players the required international exposure. | | | | - Cricket is shown on free to air channels. |
| Venues rotated annually. | | | | - A cricket program is introduced in schools and |
| - An auxillary domestic competition should be held. At | | | | universities. |
| least 5 local teams and 3 international teams (best | | | | - Well known directors should be requested to make |
| players) compete in ODI and test matches. Any ODI | | | | cricket themed movies starring well known actors. |
| status country can participate. | | | | - Introducing the sport to famous sportmen, |
| - Teams wishing to improve their game can learn | | | | politicians, actors, directors, media personalities, |
| from the following countries on tour: | | | | businessmen and making them enjoy the sport. |
| - Batting: India, Australia | | | | - The next step would have a advertising blitz in |
| - Spin Bowling: India, Sri Lanka | | | | famous newspapers, magazines, top internet sites, |
| - Fast Bowling Australia, South Africa | | | | TV, radio. The ads should be run for a month or so. |
| - Seam Bowling: England, New Zealand. | | | | Promos showing the country's top personalities |
| The ICC must have a clear process for teams | | | | supporting cricket should be aired. _ Nothing like |
| obtaining ODI and test status. This is what it should | | | | having the country's premier in the promo. |
| do. | | | | - The marketing blitz should cummulated with top |
| To get associate status, local boards should ensure: | | | | international teams playing along with the host nation |
| - A cricket education program is introduced in schools | | | | in a tournament. |
| - Cricket equipment is readily available | | | | (B) Rules that have to be changed: |
| - Adequate playing grounds are available | | | | 1) Elimination of the Leg-bye rule. |
| - International matches are telecast on free to air TV | | | | The Lb rule is pretty unfair to the bowler. By |
| channels and radio. | | | | elimination such a rule would allow the batsman to |
| - A well maintained website of the national cricket | | | | play at the ball, instead of getting runs of the |
| authority. | | | | deflection of his clothing. |
| To get permanent ODI status teams should: | | | | 2) Direct Hit on the stump renders the ball dead. |
| - Be placed 1,2 or 3 in the ICC Associate World Cup. | | | | At present if a fielder hits the stumps directly when |
| - Have at least one accredited (C grade --see | | | | the batsman is taking a run & he is safe, if it |
| gradings below) stadium. | | | | deflects of it, the batsman can run overthrows |
| - see pt 4 above. | | | | (extra runs). By enabling the ball 'dead' it would |
| To get Test Status teams should: | | | | encourage the fielders to hit the stumps more often. |
| - Have a waiting period of 5 years after ODI status | | | | If the batsman ran after this, the extra runs would |
| - Have at least a B grade stadium | | | | be overruled. |
| - Toured all test playing nations & played first | | | | 3) Leg-side LBW decision |
| class matches there. | | | | At present, if the ball is pitched outside the |
| - Won at least 10 ODI matches against Test nations. | | | | leg-stump, but is a clear LBW decision, the batsman is |
| 5. Introduction of cutting-edge technology | | | | not out. Due to advances in technology today, we |
| I feel that technology should be introduced to cricket. | | | | can predict an LBW. Hence LBW decisions should be |
| This is what cricket needs. | | | | simplified by this method, if the trajectory appears to |
| 1. Helmet cams. | | | | hit the stump the Batsman is OUT. |
| 2. Use of tracking technology for LBW decisions. | | | | 4) Correct Nomenclature |
| 3. Use of high frame rate cameras to ascertain | | | | Terms such as leg-spin and off-spin are outdated. |
| run-outs and stumpings. | | | | Better terms would be wrist spin and finger spin. |
| 4. Use of lasers to compliment run out decisions. | | | | (C) Accredation to stadiums |
| 5. Use of sensors in bails and in the boundary rope to | | | | The ICC must start rating stadiums. The better the |
| determine if the batsman is out OR hit a 4. | | | | rating of the stadium more matches it is allowed to |
| 6. Use of stump microphone to determine close | | | | hold. Here are my parameters. Points are shown |
| catching decisions. | | | | alongside in y/n format. |
| 7. Use of yellow & red cards to suspend players | | | | Lights 40/5 |
| from the game of repeatly flouting rules. | | | | Capacity (in 1000's) |
| 8. Use of 'Eye-Vision' technology to enhance TV | | | | Pitch invasion history? 0/20 |
| viewing. | | | | Smooth Entry/Exit 30/5 |
| 9. Use of 'True Track' technology to give the | | | | Crowd Management history good/bad 30/5 |
| distance the ball carried (6's) | | | | Match history 1st & 2nd inn win ratio (40-60 |
| 10. Use of biodegradable paint to colour the infield | | | | range) 50/10 |
| and outfield. | | | | Grassy field 10/5 |
| 6. The ICC. | | | | Facilities (practice, media, parking, toilets, food) 35/10 |
| Here are some reccomendations to the ICC | | | | Replay screen 20/0 |
| 1. Change its name to something more representative | | | | Electronic Scoreboard 15/5 |
| like Global Cricket Federation (GCF). | | | | Sightscreen moving needed? 0/10 |
| 2. No veto rights to member nations. | | | | PITCH: |
| 3. Be a part of the International Olympic Commitee. | | | | Bounce (good/low) 30/10 |
| 4. Strive to make Cricket an Olympic sport. | | | | Support for bowlers 20/5 |
| 5. Increase penalties for drug offences & racial | | | | Ave. |