ICC plans multi-million dollar fund to save Test cricket: The International Cricket Council (ICC) is going to take a big step to save Test cricket. In fact, it is considering creating a separate fund of at least 15 million US dollars (Rs 126 crore). This will help in increasing the match fees of the players. Above all, they will be prevented from focusing on the lucrative T20 franchise league.
According to a report in the Sydney Morning Herald, Cricket Australia (CA) has made such a proposal, which has the support of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). Shah is currently the frontrunner to become ICC president.
Cricket boards like West Indies will get help
This fund will increase the minimum match fees of Test cricketers and cover the cost of sending teams on foreign tours. This will help cricket boards like West Indies whose players are preferring to play in global T20 competitions instead of Test cricket.
The three richest cricket boards – India, Australia and England – are unlikely to benefit from this fund as they already pay adequate salaries to their players.
Minimum payment will be ensured for players
The report said, ‘After the formation of this fund, a minimum payment will be ensured for all the players, which will be around $ 10,000. Apart from this, it will also pay the cost of foreign tours of those countries which are struggling to remain in Test cricket.’
The idea of setting up such a fund was put forward by Cricket Australia chairman Mike Baird in January and he is pleased that progress is being made on it.
He said, ‘We need to overcome every obstacle and encourage Test cricket to become the best of the best. There is a need to maintain that history and that legacy, which is moving forward with the new formats of limited overs cricket.’
Source (PTI) (NDTV) (HINDUSTANTIMES)