Singapore to host ICC annual conference

The International Cricket Council (ICC) annual conference is expected to take place in Singapore during the third week of July. Several key decisions are expected during the meet, including on the recent recommendations from the Cricket Committee regarding changes to the Playing Conditions. The decision to host the annual ICC conference in Singapore was finalised during recent meetings held in Zimbabwe - first in Harare and later in Victoria Falls. Singapore is the constituency of ICC Deputy Chair Imran Khwaja, and this will be the first annual conference to be chaired by Jay Shah in his capacity as ICC Chairman. It is understood that the International Cricket Council (ICC) is contemplating setting up a Working Group to investigate the Cricket Committee's most recent recommendations. The Cricket Committee is led by Sourav Ganguly, a former president of the BCCI and captain of India. Among the proposals is a suggestion to use a single ball from the 25th over onwards in One-Day Internationals, with the intention of bringing reverse swing back into play. In addition, it is suggested that in-game clocks be implemented in Test cricket so that 90 overs can be played in a day. The Ganguly panel has suggested that Tests should have a 60-second interval between overs, just like white ball cricket. Besides there have been some suggestions to hold the Under 19 men's World Cup in T20 format, like the women's Under 19 World Cup. The men's Under-19 World Cup is currently playing in a 50-over format. It is believed that the ICC is contemplating establishing a working group to investigate these suggestions in depth. The group has not been formed as yet but it is likely to be done soon. Meanwhile, the ICC held preliminary discussions on the World Cricket Association (WCA), which has made several recommendations, including a restructuring of the ICC governance and a review of the existing financial distribution model. It remains unclear whether the matter was taken up by the ICC Board, but it is understood that some deliberations took place at the Chief Executives' Committee (CEC) level. The broad consensus within the CEC appears to be that the WCA lacks the locus standi to dictate terms to the global governing body - particularly since it does not represent the international cricket fraternity entirely. Notably, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the most influential board in world cricket, does not recognise it. It was also noted during the meeting that only a handful of Full Member boards have granted affiliation to the organisation, which previously identified itself as FICA. There appeared to be some consensus that individual boards would engage with their players who are associated with the WCA. However, the likelihood of the report gaining formal acceptance from the global governing body remains slim.