Is the ICC controlled by money and influence?
Sri Lanka’s aspirations to win the 2015 World Cup is being tested to the utmost by the ICC scheduling which has given them the hardest possible route to glory and fans here question whether there was an underlying plot to put them out of the equation in favour of pre-selected favourites.
The ICC which is popularly believed to be controlled by certain member nations with financial clout has been recently identified as pro India, Australia and England by virtue of its policy to put the named countries at an elevated position over the others giving them control of all things concerning Cricket.
This action begs the question relating to all things being dealt with on a “level playing field” when the field itself has been slanted towards the chosen few.
My gripe has got substantial backing from knowdgeable cricket pundits who are in agreeance that the ICC has no authority to discriminate against any nation on the grounds that they qualify as the guardians of the sport purely on the amount of financial backing they provide.
“What they are currently doing is the very source of corruption and manipulation they are attempting to stamp out through the bookies and betting and is hypocritical in every sense”, says a cricket fan. Member countries voted in favour of the proposal in fear of repercussions from the top three if the vote went against them, many say.
Getting back to Sri Lanka’s chances, their travelling involved is not the only concern. It is the climatic difference between New Zealand and Australia that would affect the players, and the signs are becoming quite evident as two of them have already sustained injuries that can be easily identified as a result of their bodies attempting to cope with the difference of acclimatising to New Zealand and then having to negotiate the warmer Melbourne conditions.
Member countries need to have a good hard look at the ICC and its activities and challenge the unfair agendas that are presented if the game is to generate and maintain interest by the cricket loving public.
On form, Australia, New Zealand, defending champion India and South Africa loom as hot favourites to take out this edition. But my hunch says; beware of the wounded Lions from Sri Lanka who are currently flying under the radar. They are re-fuelling and ready to launch despite the odds stacked against them. No one stands up and rebounds like the Lankans do when they are challenged.