ICL not an immediate threat to ICC T20
Posted on Sep 08, 2007 at 15:52 | Updated Sep 10, 2007 at 12:42
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Tags: cricket, cricket special, twenty20
Ever since the Zee group launched its ambitious $232mn Indian Cricket League (ICL), cricket has been at the threshold of a great divide. It can't but raise the compelling question: Is league-cricket the future and will ICL steal the thunder of Twenty20 matches organised by the International Cricket Council (ICC)?
"An unofficial league will never conflict with a Twenty20 international tournament," an ICC spokesman told Cricketnext. But who lights up the stage? It's the players.
If cricket boards do not cease to plant the seeds of discontent in them and parallel leagues continue to dangle the irresistible carrots that are unheard of in the game, quick debuts could be followed by quick exits.
Pakistan's former middle-order bat Saleem Malik fears that the Satanic bait of money can make a cricketer wilfully blind to his country. "It's unbelievable when I compare the kind of booty that players are being offered these days with the pay packets in our times. I see this-generation cricketers making a ready transfer of affection to other clubs," he says.
At this rate, there might not be much to choose between Twenty20 teams competing at the international level and those in breakaway leagues. The early birds that the Essel Group has reported to have netted are fairly young. Mohammad Yousuf, Lance Klusener and Nicky Boje are in their mid-30s; and Abdul Razzaq is only 27.
Breakaway leagues, apart from providing fallouts of the system alternate career avenues, create a setting that is relatively stress free.
There is another area that should concern the ICC. The Twenty20 market remains relatively untapped. According to information available, the ICC has scheduled 32 Twenty20 internationals in the next one year, but 27 of them would be held in the coming World Cup in South Africa and five in different bilateral series.
Zee could think of having a greater number of matches and lend them a unique mystique through intelligent branding.
WHERE ICL CAN TO LOSE OUT
The role of television would be central to the ICL's success. It's debatable whether local Twenty20 matches would draw the desired level of viewer-ship after the World Cup in September. And if the Indian team does not do well in the tournament, the cricket consumer in the country may reach a saturation point rather prematurely.
At this point of time, Zee Sports, like Neo Sports, doesn't have an impressive channel penetration. Zee can certainly offset this disadvantage by sharing feeds with its network channels like Zee Cinema. But, if the breakaway league kick-starts in October (as reported), it will coincide with the national side's packed itinerary. Cable operators will beyond doubt accord India matches precedence over ICL.
Bear in mind that India will be engaged in three combative series in the next eight months, starting with the seven One-Day Internationals against Australia at home, followed by three-Tests and five ODIs against Pakistan before travelling Down Under early next year.
Zee, though, has the advantage of knowing the schedule and slotting the matches accordingly.
While all the ICC Twenty20 matches will be staged at prime international venues, it wouldn't help ICL that it will be denied access to the heartland of Indian cricket: the premium stadiums in Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bangalore and Delhi.
It will take some doing on the ICL's part to resuscitate non-operational grounds and hire them on a long-term contract.
West Bengal sports minister Subhash Chakraborty is willing to back the ICL, which means allowing the Zee Group use of the Eden Gardens. The Cricket Club of India (CCI) and Railway Sports Promotion Board have also proffered support to the ICL but it still wouldn't be easy.
Nobody need tell them that they would do so at the risk of irking the BCCI. Losing out on hosting India matches in future is something that both the CAB and the CCI can ill afford.
Anybody who understands the economics of the game may not disagree that while the quality of cricket would be non-negotiable for the ICL, it is the galaxy of overseas stars that could make it a splash. Difficult to see countless Indian fans lighten their wallets to watch G Vignesh or Sumit Kalia in their new avatars.
After all the hoopla about hiring overseas players, ICL has officially only Brian Lara, Klusener and Boje to show for the prized catches. Lara and Klusener will be a good draw but what about Bojer? One is not sure.
Not too long ago, Kapil Dev pronounced that Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne had almost signed up and it was only a matter of time before ICL made the announcements. What is holding them from committing?
We step into the realm of speculation when we connect this to the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) plans of floating a two-tier Twenty20 Professional Cricket League (PCL). Do not be surprised if the ICL get checkmated in their own game.
Finally, we need to bring into account the intensity of the ICL matches. Will the rebels play with the same passion as they would do if they wore national colours? Will the contests whip up passion? Whoever said that commercialising a game may not necessarily raise the bar was not off the mark
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