Smaller Cricket Nations Are Feeling The Financial Pain During The Coronavirus Crisis

International cricket has a rather archaic hierarchical system. Only 12 countries are allowed to play Test cricket – the sport’s longest and most prestigious format.

These teams – deemed the best cricket countries – are categorized as Full Members, according to the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) rather elitist structure.

It is tough to gain full membership. Only three countries - Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Ireland - have been granted the coveted status in more than 25 years. Teams below the top tier are Associate member nations – they get less funding than the elite 12 and fewer opportunities to play against the best.

Only 20 teams currently hold One-Day International status and a mere 10 teams featured in last year’s World Cup. Those not qualifying missed out on a windfall – a prime example being Scotland losing out on the $1 million qualifying fee and potential sponsorship funds of $200,000-300,000.

Associates cricket is cut-throat. Magnified during the tumult of the coronavirus pandemic, which has thrown the sport into chaos and exposed the grim finances of supposedly wealthy cricket nations.

For 12th ODI ranked Netherlands, a leading Associates nation and the best cricket country on mainland Europe, it has been a bitter pill to swallow. This year promised so much marked by being part of the 16-team T20 World Cup starting in October in Australia, which is now under a cloud.

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4:54 AM

India tour of Australia likely to go ahead as scheduled

BCCI sources confirmed that India's tour of Australia is most likely to happen in 2020 and the board is considering various prospects for resumption of cricket post coronavirus pandemic.

HIGHLIGHTS

• India are scheduled to play four Tests and three ODIs in December-January
• BCCI treasurer Arun Dhumal has already said India is ready to quarantine for 14 days
• BCCI feels that cricket should resume in September and October

Cricket Australia (CA) has received a major reprieve as India's upcoming tour of Australia is likely to go ahead according to BCCI sources. If India tour doesn't take place, Cricket Australia could lose as much as 300 million Australian dollars.

While BCCI treasurer Arun Dhumal has already said the team is ready to quarantine for 14 days, BCCI sources told Boria Majumdar, India Today Consulting Editor Sports that the tour will most likely happen as scheduled.

India are scheduled to play four Tests and three ODIs in December-January, a tour that should give a massive fillip to Cricket Australia’s (CA) dwindling finances.

As per the rules amid Covid-19 pandemic, those travelling to Australia have to go into isolation for a couple of weeks. The quarantine rules could have seen BCCI postponing the tour but the Indian cricket board is willing to play the scheduled four-match Test series.

BCCI sources also confirmed that if the T20 World Cup doesn't happen the tour will not be broken up into parts but will continue with Test and T20I as a continuous series.

The Indian cricket board also feels that cricket should resume in September and October but is unlikely to say anything in public till the lockdown ends and the things open up.

BCCI is also taking into consideration the prospect of bio friendly stadiums and different formats for resumption of cricket.

BCCI treasurer Arun Dhumal had said on downplaying the logistical issues likely to arise because of the Covid-19 pandemic, stating that India’s tour of Australia later this year is likely to go ahead.

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4:28 AM