As the dust settles on the group stage of this year’s Cricket World Cup, there is one glaring oversight and burning issue that should make the ICC’s hierarchy truly uncomfortable with their decision to tell the cricketing world that it’s their ball and not everyone is allowed play with it.
Cricket’s governing body has decided that the 2019 World Cup in England would involve just 10 sides – the top ranked 7 sides (full member sides, ranked as such because they get to play and beat others) and 3 qualification places for the likes of Zimbabwe, Bangladesh (qualifiers in Bangladesh!), Ireland, Afghanistan and all other associates to compete for a place at the top table.
This decision has baffled some and angered a great deal more with vested interests in the growth and evolution of international cricket. This list has not been difficult to plot given the outlandish logic of the ICC to restrict the game’s growth by making it’s showpiece a private party, These are my 6 reasons that World Cup 2019 MUST have at least 14 nations:
Achievements merit a suitable reward
A telling quote from Ireland captain Will Porterfield following their net run rate elimination on Sunday – ‘If you cut us out of a World Cup then what’s the point really for us to keep going’. This is an international cricket captain fresh from a magnificent ton against arguably the best bowling attack in the tournament (Pakistan) who is forced to be so downtrodden, mere hours after Ireland and indeed the other associate nations put in their best collective display in the history of World Cups.
One of the ICC’s cornerstone’s of their rationale to limit the number of teams was in order to ensure ‘a World Cup is the pinnacle of one-day cricket’. That’s fine, we all want to see good and competitive cricket but hang on is that not (save a couple of games here and there) EXACTLY what you’ve received thanks in no small part to the associates? Ireland were clinical and calculating in easily beating the West Indies. Why, because they are a bloody good side!
It wasn’t just the Irish who exhibited some world class cricket despite being a so-called ‘minnow’ this World Cup – Scotland gave New Zealand (my pre-tournament tip to win it and still are) an almighty scare having them 137/7 chasing 143, Kyle Coetzee posted the 6th highest score this World Cup with 156 against Bangladesh, Afghanistan skittled the Sri Lankan top order to have them 51/4 chasing 233 and the UAE’s Shaiman Anwar finished the group stages in the top 10 run scorers. Does that not sound competitive to you? Yes, there were a couple of blow outs but such is the nature of the sport an noncompetitive game of cricket will always rear it’s head depending on form, conditions etc (England I’m looking at you).
As with any walk of life, great achievements merit suitable rewards. You wouldn’t fire an employee for performing well, why would you throw teams out of a World Cup for doing the same? If the ICC decides that suitable rewards are the odd token ‘friendly’ against a big side or a patronizing ‘good job little buddy’ at the end of a tournament then they’ll soon be left in isolation with only themselves to blame for a boring, stagnant, evolution-less world game.
Talent doesn’t reside in the established sides alone
The ICC seem to think that talent can only be present in nation’s with long standing cricketing traditions and structures, that any exhibition of such levels of talent outside of these growth fields are exceptions to the rule. Allow me to reel off for you several of these exceptions:
– Ed Joyce (Ireland) 15,000 First Class runs at an average of 47.58, 3 ODI 100’s including one for England at the SCG
– Kevin O’Brien (Ireland) – current holder of the fastest ever World Cup 100 (50 balls) v England in 2011
– Josh Davey (Scotland) – 15 wickets at CWC, only bettered by Australia’s Mitchell Stark so far
– Shaiman Anwar (UAE) – scored their first WC 100 v Ireland and 10th highest run scorer in CWC groups stages
– Shapoor Zadran (Afghanistan) – one of the quickest bowlers at CWC and 4/38 against the Scots this year
There a fair few more, several of these within Ireland’s ranks who possess a particularly impressive batting lineup.
It would be a travesty if these players, all of which will likely still be active in 2019, are deemed unworthy of representing their country on the biggest stage of all in four years time, particularly having done it with such distinction this time.
Associates provide major fireworks
If the World Cup is to be at the pinnacle of One Day Cricket than presumably it should be at the pinnacle of entertainment too? A month into the tournament and it terms of sheer entertainment and intrigue there are 4 games which stand out me in providing sheer drama, 3 of them involving an associate nation and 1 of them involving 2!
Ireland looked as if all of their impressive early tournament work was to be undone against the UAE after falling 5 down chasing 279 but World Cup specialist Kevin O’Brien smashed a 25 ball 50, supported well by Gary Wilson to help them over the line by just 2 wickets. In another Irish cliffhanger, they overcame a Zimbabwe side who needed just 8 off the last but couldn’t get it done thanks to some incredible death bowling from Alex Cusack.
Perhaps the greatest game so far was laden with emotional sucker punches as Afghanistan overcame Scotland by a single wicket to win their first ever World Cup match. The absolute scenes of unbridled joy and celebration shown by the Afghans perfectly encapsulated what any World Cup should be about. The final game that springs to mind, I’m confidently saying was a World Cup Final rehearsal when New Zealand beat co-hosts Australia in a game of few runs and many a wicket.
Conversely to some nail biting associate chases, we’ve seen a number of non-events by the elite namely England and their dismal attempts to be competitive against New Zealand, Australia and Sri Lanka the West Indies who were beaten by 257 runs against South Africa. The bottom line is, mismatches can happen between any two sides on any given day and the associates carried more than their fair share in early tournament entertainment.
The world needs an underdog
Rattle off some of your most memorable and enduring sporting memories and I guarantee you they’ll have one common theme, the rise of the underdog. Whether it was Ireland chasing 327 v England in Bangalore, Greece’s incomprehensible march to Euro 2004 or the day 15 men from Munster beat the All Blacks, these sporting stories always endure the test of time and get people talking. Imagine stripping the football World Cup of days like Cameroon beating England or Senegal beating France and a significant amount of the mystique and magic of a World Cup, in whatever sport is diminished.
For every 20 David v Goliath encounters on the world stage, it only takes one to capture the fans imagination and denying a possible Afghan victory over a test side or a Scotland victory over England in the future would go against everything that these global occasions have the power to spark.
Inspiration for a war torn nation
For any neutral, how good was it to see the nation of Afghanistan bring a team to a World Cup and more than that, be competitive. This wasn’t a Cool Runnings or Eric the Eel pity party, this was a squad of capable young cricketers, coming from a country who’s recent history knew of no joy, happiness or peace over the last decade and finally providing something for the nation to feel good about itself. Look around you, Hollywood has made movie scripts out of far, far less of an inspiring story.
It was such a pity that Mahela Jayawardene (who was just doing his job rather than some pantomime villian) got set against the Afghan bowling attack and pulled Sri Lanka up out of the fire but what a story it would have been if Afghanistan could have toppled a team that until that point in WC history had always shown such ruthlessness against the lesser sides.
This point is an argument of circumstance and yes, one which probably wouldn’t make this list but for the obvious plight of the nation involved but if sport is a vessel with which individual’s and nations can use a means of overcoming adversity then this is a home run. The reason it being such a home run that Afghanistan is a cricketing nation, inspired, driven and going places. There is no lack of talent in their ranks and provided the ICC give them the critical support they need, both structurally and financially there is no reason why Afghanistan’s dramatic improvement should show any signs of slowing down.
When the God’s speak, you listen
What do Sachin Tendulkar, Michael Holding, Steve Waugh and Rahul Dravid have in common? Sure, their eternal place among cricketing greats is one thing but a unified an unwavering support of the Associate nations struggle to enter World Cup 2019 is another, equally accurate response.
The little magician Sachin Tendulkar has been particularly vocal raising the case for a World Cup of as many as 25 teams to allow other nations such as Kenya and Nepal a minimum, once in 4 year crack at the big boys. He calls the 10 restriction ‘a backward step’ and ‘unfair’ on the associate teams working tirelessly to pit themselves against the best and take their rightful place on the world stage.
West Indian legend Michael Holding, went a step further and called for the ICC to grant Ireland test status ‘immediately’ following their win over the West Indies and categorical proof that of the associate nations, Ireland are the stand out and consistent performers. Test status is obviously a huge goal but this rethink of ODI cricket is bigger than that and with so many influential men in these spheres calling for the Associates to be given more fair treatment it puts a heavy and necessary pressure on the ICC, one which I hope they’ll bow to and open up the 2019 Cricket World Cup to the actual world…
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