Tony Becca

The majority of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Associates members are meeting in London this week. They are gathering there for one reason, to discuss plans to fight a proposal that would reduce their numbers in future World Cup tournaments, starting with the 2011 event scheduled for Asia.

In the last World Cup, held in the West Indies, there were, for the first time, 16 teams - the 10-Test playing countries, including Zimbabwe, and six associates. The complaint was that it was too long and boring and almost before it was over, there was talk of reducing the number of teams and changing the format.

Cricket's big guns

There was, however, one other reason for wanting to change the format and that reason was that two of the big teams, two of cricket's big guns, India and Pakistan, were knocked out after the first round.

With India and Pakistan out so early, the competitive level of the tournament was affected, with Ireland and Bangladesh in, with India and Pakistan out, that was one reason why the tournament did not sizzle as expected.

That is why, even though their members appear split on the issue, the ICC proposals are calling for less teams - for four instead of six associates and for a format that would see less upsets, if any at all, and one that would guarantee that none of the big guns would drop out so early, next time around or in the future.

According to those in favour, nothing is wrong with such a proposal, for the simple reason that apart from cutting down on the number of one-sided matches and apart from making more money, it would reserve the World Cup for the best teams and the best players in the world.

On the surface nothing is wrong with that.

According to those against, however, everything is wrong with such a proposal - and for one simple reason.

Apart from putting money first, apart from greed and apart from bowing to the demands of a rich team like India, in their opinion it would be catering to the traditional teams, it would rob the non-traditional teams, the weaker teams, of the opportunity to rub shoulders with the best and to develop themselves. It would prove, despite all its talk, in spite of the few dollars being spent on its associates and on its affiliates, that the ICC is not really interested in their development or in spreading the game.

Increasing the number of teams

What is really interesting, however, is that at a time almost every other sport, including soccer, or football, or whatever it is called, is moving towards increasing the number of teams involved in their championship, in their world tournament, and towards really spreading the game, the bosses of cricket are thinking about cutting its numbers, about going back.

What is strange, really strange, however, is that upsets are part of any competition, and that instead of looking towards one, or two, or three, instead of hoping, and praying, that one or two of its associates, a couple of its prodigies, create a few, members of the ICC are supporting a proposal that would get rid of them.

Instead of showering one of their associates with praise, instead of toasting one of the fraternity for coming in and, surprisingly and dramatically, creating an upset as Ireland did last time around when, in playing David, they slew Pakistan, members of the ICC, the body responsible for spreading the game and for encouraging development in the game, are planning, and plotting, against them.

The 2007 World Cup was a disappointment, but it had nothing to do with India and Pakistan being knocked out in the first round and the associates, one of whom was responsible for the fall of one, should not suffer for it.

The World Cup was a disappointment because of the high prices, the lack of atmosphere and the format among other things - including the carry over of points from one round to another.

Perfect answer

This may not be the perfect answer, but instead of reducing the number of associates, instead of any attempt to remove part of the attraction of sport - the excitement and the drama in sport - by artificially protecting the strong from the weak, may be the thing to do is to go for a format that will have a first round of four groups with four teams each, with each team in each group playing each other, with the top two teams from each group going forward into the quarter-finals where, after a knock-out, the top four teams go into the semi-finals, and where, after the final knock-out, or rather, after the penultimate knock-out, the top two teams contest the final for the Cup.