Top international cricket officials meet in Toronto on Monday to
plan the way forward for the three amateur teams who will qualify for the
Cricket World Cup in South Africa in February-March 2003.
Malcolm Speed, newly-appointed chief executive of the International Cricket
Council (ICC), the 2003 Cricket World Cup executive director Dr Ali Bacher
and the ICC's development manager Andrew Eade will work out strategy to
ensure that the three qualifying teams - the Netherlands, Namibia and either
Canada or Scotland - are best prepared to take on the world's top teams in
southern Africa in just over 18 months' time.
The trio of officials will meet with senior management - captains, managers
and coaches - from the above teams to work out strategy.
The ICC has already set aside $US500 000 (more than R4 million) to assist
these teams' preparations - as well as those of another already qualified
World Cup team, Kenya - and the three officials are to discuss the
possibility of budgeting a further $US500 000 over the next financial year
for a grand total of $US1-million in assistance.
The three officials are in Canada for the ICC Trophy tournament for amateur
teams vying for the right to play in the 2003 World Cup. Netherlands and
shock qualifier Namibia, who contested the Toronto final today, are
automatic qualifiers for a World Cup pool that is likely to comprise
Australia, Pakistan, India, England and Zimbabwe.
Scotland and Canada contest the third place playoff in Toronto on Tuesday
for the right to join the other pool which is likely to comprise South
Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies, New Zealand, Bangladesh and Kenya.
Dr Bacher said from Toronto: "It is vitally important that we devise a
cricketing plan of action over the next 18 or so months to ensure that the
qualifying teams are going to be pretty competitive at the 2003 Cricket
World Cup. The three ways to help them are (a) to send them top cricket
coaches with expertise at the highest level of limited overs international
cricket, (b) to facilitate their top players attending established cricket
academies in countries like South Africa, Australia, England and New
Zealand, and (c) to set up tours for them.
"The International Cricket Council is to be commended for setting aside
money to back these vital preparations."
Dr Bacher added that he had a few proposals to make to the United Cricket
Board of South Africa (UCB) with a view to fast-tracking near neighbours
Nambia, who he praised for their extraordinary achievement in reaching the
final of the ICC Trophy and thus qualifying for the 2003 World Cup.
Dr Bacher said he would discuss these proposals with the executive committee
of the UCB when he returned later this week from Canada.