ICC International Cricket Council/Organization/History/Members
With ICC World Cup 2011 round the corner, set to begin on Feb 19 in Dhaka, Bangladesh, cricket fans are get set for a cricketing feast for over a month. In this post, ICC International Cricket Council/Organization/History/Members, I am attempting to take a peek into the history of ICC, International Cricket Council, its evolution into its current status.
The status of this resource is Pending and require some modification by the author.
ICC International Cricket Council/Organization/History/Members
With ICC World Cup 2011 round the corner, set to begin on Feb 19 in Dhaka, Bangladesh, cricket fans are get set for a cricketing feast for over a month. For an organization founded in 1909 with 3 members, ICC has come a long way to mature into a body of 105 members, restructuring the organization thoroughly from an Imperial body into a democratic institution. This organization is doing a great service in the area of propagating the sport of cricket in various parts of the globe. Even non-cricketing nations are encouraged to take up cricket as a sport in these countries. In this post, I take a look into the history of ICC, its origins and its evolution into current status.
History of ICC
ICC of today had its origins in Imperial Cricket Conference, an organization set up in 1909 by the representatives of the then cricketing nations, England, Australia, and South Africa. The first meeting was held under the chairmanship of the Earl of Chesterfield, President of MCC on 15th June 1909 at Lord's. This was followed by a second conference, after one month, under the chairmanship of Lord Harris. This body was established to frame rules that would control test cricket between these three countries. In 1912, the first Triangular Tournament took place in England. But due to bad weather conditions, major Australian players refused to come, and the attempt was not a success. Abe Bailey, President of South African Cricket Association also played a key role in founding the organization.
Things moved at a lackadaisical pace until 1926, when the visiting English team was almost beaten by hosts West Indies in the matches played in that country. In 1926, another meeting of Imperial Cricket Conference took place in England in which representatives from India, New Zealand and West Indies were invited. Shortly, another meeting of the ICC took place, presided over by Lord Harris, in which important decisions regarding the membership of the body was taken. It was decided that the membership of ICC would comprise 'governing bodies of cricket in countries within the Empire to which cricket teams are sent, or which send teams to England.' Though there was much cricketing between the US and England in those days, this definition excluded the US from ICC membership. According to this decision three more new cricketing nations were added, India, New Zealand and West Indies. West Indies played first test in 1928, New Zealand in 1929-30 and India in 1932.
ICC met annually to plan Test tours and to formulate guidelines for cricketing including the qualification of cricketers. Pakistan had become a member of ICC in 1952, and in October that year, Pakistan played their first test match. South Africa forfeited their membership in 1961 as it withdrew from Commonwealth.
International Cricket Conference (1964 – 1988)
A major turning point came in 1964 when Pakistan suggested to include non-Test playing nations to ICC. In 1964, ICC was renamed as International Cricket Conference. A new type of membership – Associate Membership – came into being with USA, Fiji and Ceylon being admitted into the ICC. The Netherlands, Bermuda and East Africa became Associate Members in 1966. An amendment of basic rules of ICC took place in 1969.
A comprehensive restructuring of ICC took place in 1971, with voting system coming into being. Full members (Test-playing nations) were accorded 2 votes each while Associates were given 1 vote each. At the 1973 conference, a decision was taken to hold a 60-over per side World Cup in 1975. In addition to the 6 Test-playing nations, East Africa and Sri Lanka were also invited to take part in the tournament. In the course of the years that followed, new associate members were added, and ICC kept growing, Argentina, West Africa, Bangladesh and Papua-New Guinea had become members. South Africa's application to rejoin the organization was rejected in 1978. During this period, Australian media baron Kerry Paker had threatened Test cricket by holding parallel matches, which had attracted many cricketing talents.
In 1984, a third category of membership was approved – Affiliate. Italy, Switzerland, Bahamas, France and Nepal became Affiliate members.
International Cricket Council (1989 - )
The momentous decision of banning any player who had cricketing links with South Africa was taken in 1989. In july that year, ICC changed its name to International Cricket Council. This year, the practice of MCC president automatically becoming ICC chairmanship was put to an end. Colin Cowdry was elected Chairman of ICC that year. UAE became an Associate in 1990. In 1991, for the first time ICC meeting took place outside England in Melbourne. South Africa was readmitted into ICC this year with the ban on players who had sporting relations with South Africa revoked. Zimbabwe, Namibia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei and Spain had become Associates in 1992.
The position, Chief Executive of ICC, was created in 1993. David Richards of Aussies was the first CE of ICC. First non-British Chairman was elected in this year – Sir Clyde Walcott of Barbados, succeeding Colin Cowdry. ICC has its office in Lord's, but a separate office was established in Monaco for commercial purposes.
Full Members of ICC
A full member represent a cricketing nation qualified to play Test cricket and recognized by the ICC. Governing bodies for cricket in that country will be represented in the ICC. As of now, ICC has 10 full members.
Associate Members of ICC
An Associate Member is the governing body for cricket of a nation recognized by ICC. Associates are not qualified to play cricket, but cricket is firmly established in such countries. ICC has 35 Associate Members.
Affiliate Members of ICC
Affiliate Members are governing bodies for cricket of nations recognized by ICC. These nations are not qualified to play Test Cricket, but cricket is a sport in such countries, played according to the rules set forth by the ICC. There are 60 Affiliate Members.
Change For The Better
Earlier, ICC had a type of members called Foundation Members. When South Africa went out of ICC, Australia and England had enjoyed the status of this Foundation Members. No changes in the rules were possible without the concurrence of these two countries. But the new regulations have done away with this practice, and all Test-playing nations have equal participation in the decision making process.
The practice of third empire was introduced in 1993, and is an offshoot of new technology available in those days. Whenever there was an uncertainty regarding a decision arising out of doubt, a third umpire equipped with video playback would signal out with red light and not out with green light. With the improvement in technology, ICC adopted new techniques to make the matches error-free with the its help. Also ICC is constantly striving to improve the standards of the game and also trying to eliminate the factor of indecision from the game. Duckworth-Lewis method of adjusting targets in rain-affected matches was a step in this direction.
ICC Committees
1. ICC Executive Board & IDI Board of Directors
2. ICC Chief Executive's Committee
3. ICC Cricket Committee
4. ICC Audit Committee
5. ICC Financial & Commercial Affairs Committee
6. ICC Governing Review Committee
7. ICC Development Committee
8. ICC Code Of Conduct Commission
9. ICC Women's Committee
10. ICC Medical Committee
ICC EXECUTIVE BOARD & IDI BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The executive Board is vested with responsibility of managing the affairs of the ICC to fulfill its objectives with respect to duties and responsibilities as laid down in the constitution or by statute.
A full member can appoint a Full Member Director on the Executive and IDI Boards. Associate members can choose from among them three Associate Member Directors to represent them on the board. Sharad Pawar is the Current ICC Chairman
President: Sharad Pawar (Chairman)
Vice-President: Alan Isaac
Chief Executive: Haroon Lorgat
Australia: Jack Clarke
Bangladesh: AHM Mustafa Kamal
England and Wales: Giles Clarke
India: Shashank Manohar
New Zealand: Chris Moller
Pakistan: Ijaz Butt
South Africa: Mr A.K. Khan
Sri Lanka: D S de Silva
West Indies: Dr. Julian Hunte
Zimbabwe: Peter Chingoka
Associate Member Director: Keith Oliver (Scotland)
Associate Member Director: Imran Khwaja (Singapore)
Associate Member Director: Neil Speight (Bermuda)
ICC CHIEF EXECUTIVES' COMMITTEE
The ICC Chief Executives' Committee confers with the Chief Executives of the ten Test playing nations together with three representatives from the Associate Members on operational and management matters relating to the administration and operation of the game of cricket.
Chairman Haroon Lorgat (Chief Executive)
Ex-Officio Sharad Pawar (President)
Ex-Officio Clive Lloyd (Chairman - Cricket Committee)
Full Members
Australia James Sutherland
Bangladesh Manzoor Ahmed
England and Wales David Collier
India N Srinivasan
New Zealand Justin Vaughan
Pakistan Zakir Khan
Sri Lanka Nishanta Ranatunga
South Africa Gerald Majola
West Indies Ernest Hilaire
Zimbabwe Wilfred Mukondiwa
Associate Member Director Dr. John Cribbin (Hong Kong)
Associate Member Director Warren Deutrom (Ireland)
Associate Member Director Francois Erasmus (Namibia)
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