In a significant move aimed at bolstering Test cricket, the International Cricket Council (ICC) is considering the introduction of a dedicated fund worth around US $15 million starting in 2025.
This initiative is primarily driven by Cricket Australia chair Mark Baird, with strong backing from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).
It seeks to help cricket boards outside the Big Three – India, Australia, and England – compete with the increasingly lucrative franchise leagues. The goal is to ensure that these boards can afford to call upon a larger pool of their top talent for Test cricket.
The proposed central fund, which could provide a minimum match fee of around US $10 000 (approximately BDS $20 000) for players across all participating nations, is expected to be finalised by Christmas, with the aim of being fully operational by next year.
This financial support is seen as crucial for making Test cricket more appealing to players who often prioritise short-format competitions for higher paydays. Moreover, the fund could significantly ease the financial burden on smaller cricket boards, which frequently operate at a loss when hosting or participating in red-ball matches.
The fund has received strong support from key figures such as BCCI secretary Jay Shah and ECB chair Richard Thompson. Although still in its early stages and not yet formally discussed by the ICC board or executive committee, Baird remains optimistic about its future.
“It’s fantastic to see some momentum behind the Test-match fund,” Baird told the Sydney Morning Herald. “We need to remove the barriers and encourage Test cricket to be the pinnacle of the sport. Preserving its history and legacy is essential, even as the newer forms of white-ball cricket continue to grow.”
This initiative comes at a time when the financial disparity between cricket boards has become increasingly apparent. For instance, earlier this year, outgoing Cricket West Indies CEO Johnny Grave disclosed that their tour of Australia had cost the board US $2 million. To help address such financial strains, the ECB has already taken steps to bridge this gap by making Zimbabwe the first ever country in the modern era to receive a “touring fee” for their upcoming one-off Test match at Trent Bridge in May 2025.
Speaking further on the matter, Grave said: “We are not going to throw money at any player in order for them to say no to the Franchise leagues or force them under contract to go and play Test cricket or ODI cricket.”
The outgoing CEO outlined the board’s stance saying “If you want to go play in the ILT20 or SA20 instead of going to Australia this year, good luck and best wishes, here’s your NOC. We genuinely hope that for any of our current T20 players that they play well in these overseas leagues and work hard because it is part of their individual preparations for the T20 World Cup.
“But when you come back from it and if you want to play Test or ODI cricket, then you have to accept that someone else was selected to take your place and depending on how they performed and what your preparation and performances have been will depend on whether you are selected again or not.”
He concluded: “Every player has a choice to make. As a board, we are going to be consistent. We are not going to force any player to do anything they don’t want to do. We respect their ability to make choices.
These efforts underscore the growing need for reciprocal agreements and financial support among cricket boards. The ECB, for example, added three T20Is to their 2023 limited-overs tour of the Caribbean, which proved financially beneficial for the region. Additionally, as part of a goodwill gesture linked to the West Indies Test series in England last month, the ECB will facilitate a West Indies Under-19 tour to the UK in the future. (JC)
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