New ICC structure will benefit us more: WICB

Port of Spain (Trinidad), Feb 19 (IANS/CMC) The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) president Dave Cameron has given the assurance that the West Indies will benefit more from the recent changes in the governance structure of the International Cricket Council (ICC).

Cameron insists that the Caribbean team will be playing more cricket over the next eight years because of the changes. The WICB was one of eight full members of the ICC to vote in favour of the new proposal, which was approved at the ICC board meeting in Singapore earlier this month.

“The amended key principles that cover governance, financing and structure will allow the game to grow and develop in the Caribbean and in the Americas far more robustly and vigorously. The WICB have already secured commitments from major countries to play an increased number of matches and series over the next eight years,” Cameron said.

Cameron, however, did not give details of the future tours and home series, explaining that the new financing proposals will allow the WICB to negotiate, on a bilateral basis, on tours to other countries from which it will earn direct revenue.

“Currently, the West Indies have the most unfavourable matches based on the Future Tours Programme (FTP) and you would notice that we have been playing Bangladesh, New Zealand every year for the last 2-3 years. That is why the WICB is set to have a massive deficit at the end of our financial year, ending in September,” he added.

“The new proposals will allow the WICB to increase the number of profitable tours it hosts while decreasing the amount of unprofitable tours it is obliged to host under the FTP. The WICB will be able to negotiate fees when our team plays in an away series.”