ICC Annual Conference finishes

The ICC Annual Conference has just wrapped up and there has been some major decisions made in relation to global events calendar.

• The Champions Trophy has definitely been scrapped from the calendar
• The ICC World Test Championship has been confirmed to be played in June/July 2017 to be hosted by England
• The second edition of the Test Championship has been scheduled for February/March 2021 to be hosted by India
• The Cricket World Cup 2023 is to be hosted by India, after England are confirmed as the 2019 hosts
• The ICC World Twenty20 will now be held every four years from 2016 onwards
• Australia will host the World Twenty20 in 2020, after India in 2016
• The ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier 2015 to be held in Scotland and Ireland
• The ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier to be played in Bangladesh in 2018 and in Zimbabwe in 2022

I think the most glaring thing from above is the power held by the ECB, Cricket Australia and the BCCI. England, Australia and India will be the only countries to host ICC tournaments from 2015 to 2023. The other countries are left to play host to U/19 and women's cricket events.

The decision to restrict the World Twenty20 to every four years is a great decision and will help glut the cricket calendar from this constant 20-20. In regards to the Cricket World Cup, it is no surprise that India will host the 2023 edition, but it will be the first time they will host it individually without any other Asian nation hosting. The ICC have also done their best to help lowly full members Bangladesh and Zimbabwe by giving them hosting rights of the the 2018 and 2022 qualification tournaments. Mind you, what happens if Bangladesh are in the top 8 by 2018? They should gain automatic qualification and not have to qualify, but you never know what crazy loophole the ICC may enforce.

Below is a summary of the ICC events from 2014 - 2023 (the next 10 years)
2014: World Twenty20 (Bangladesh)
2014: Cricket World Cup Qualifier (New Zealand)
2015: Cricket World Cup (Australia/New Zealand)
2015: World Twenty20 Qualifier (Ireland/Scotland)
2016: World Twenty20 (India)
2017: ICC World Test Championship (England)
2018: Cricket World Cup Qualifier (Bangladesh)
2019: Cricket World Cup (England)
2019: World Twenty20 Qualifier (TBC)
2020: World Twenty20 (Australia)
2021: ICC World Test Championship (India)
2022: Cricket World Cup Qualifier (Zimbabwe)
2023: Cricket World Cup (India)

The following are a list of the U/19 and Women's tournaments:
2014: ICC Women's World Twenty20 (Bangladesh)
2014: ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup (UAE)
2016: ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup (Bangladesh)
2017: ICC Women's World Cup (England)
2018: ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup (New Zealand)
2018: ICC Women's World Twenty20 (West Indies)
2020: ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup (South Africa)
2021: ICC Women's World Cup (New Zealand)
2022: ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup (West Indies) 2022: ICC Women's World Twenty20 (South Africa)

It is interesting to note the events by country and further consolidates my point about who is really in charge at the ICC

India: World Twenty20 (2016), World Test Championship (2021), Cricket World Cup (2023)
England: World Test Championship (2017), Women's World Cup (2017), Cricket World Cup (2019)
Australia: Cricket World Cup (2015), World Twenty20 (2020)
New Zealand: Cricket World Cup Qualifier (2014), Cricket World Cup (2015), Under-19 Cricket World Cup (2018), ICC Women's World Cup (2021)
South Africa: Under-19 Cricket World Cup (2020), ICC Women's World Twenty20 (2022)
Sri Lanka: -
Pakistan: -
West Indies: Women's World Twenty20 (2018), Under-19 Cricket World Cup (2022)
Bangladesh: World Twenty20 (incl. Women's) (2014), ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup (2016), Cricket World Cup Qualifier (2018)
Zimbabwe: Cricket World Cup Qualifier (2022)

The other interesting results at Conference were:

• Stonger spot/match- fixing regulations
• Each full member has to play at least 16 test matches in a four year period
• The ODI Rankings and T20I Rankings to cover a four year span with the annual rankings update moved to 1 May from 1 August
• Final decision on Bangladesh's ability to host the 2014 World Twenty20 to be made in August
• Ball tampering clarifications for on-field umpires
• Zing wickets approved to be used in ODI's and T20I's
• A player now only has to wait two years (down from four) to play for an associate after playing for a full member
• Afghanistan have been promoted from an affiliate to an associate member of the ICC

The 16 match minimum is pointless really as even Bangladesh and Zimbabwe play four tests per year. If the ICC were really committed to test cricket they would have made it at least 24-32 over a four-year span. The change in eligibility criteria is also a welcome reduction for countries such as Ireland who could secure the services of Boyd Rankin and/or Eoin Morgan if they go out of favour with England.