Thaindian News

Melbourne, Oct. 2 (ANI): Cricket Australia’s plan to overhaul 50-over cricket with its radical split-innings 45-over version for the 2015 World Cup could be over before it starts, with ICC CEO Haroon Lorgat certain a one-day international league will save the game.

The ICC chief executive’s committee, which includes Cricket Australia boss James Sutherland, has initially agreed to the championship league, which would run from next April until April 2014, crowning a 50-over champion every three years, with the fourth year being a World Cup.

Cricket Australia will introduce its new format to the world on Wednesday when Queensland play Tasmania.

The format has some exciting features, and CA believes it is the way of the future.

Lorgat, however, remains unconvinced about one-day cricket requiring a makeover. He has, instead, called for more context to games as money-hungry boards schedule meaningless series of up to seven matches.

‘I am still a strong supporter of 50-over cricket. Our research shows fans still like the game,’ Lorgat told the Sydney Morning Herald.

He added: ‘The important point is structure, schedule and context. A championship league would give context to every match.’

Lorgat said the league could still work if boards continued to schedule five- or seven-match series, but that would be made difficult because each nation must play each other during the three-year championship cycle.

Previously, the likes of Australia have been able to avoid significant financial losses by playing lower-drawing nations such as Bangladesh and Zimbabwe once every four years.

Lorgat said next year’s World Cup would prove the popularity of the 50-over game, which remained the favourite format of Indian supporters. (ANI)