A sad day for cricket: FICA

The structural revamp in world cricket shows how badly the sport is run, the Federation of International Cricketers' Associations (Fica) said on Monday (10/02/2014).

"This is a very sad day for our game," executive chairman Paul Marsh said in a statement.

"Whilst unfortunately the final outcome had an air of inevitability about it once the process became clear, it again highlights how poorly our game is governed."

The International Cricket Council (ICC) board on Saturday approved wide-ranging structural and governance reforms despite complaints they placed too much power in the hands of the "Big Three" of India, England and Australia.

The restructuring included setting up a five-man executive council with seats reserved for India, England and Australia, the sport's leading financial powers.

India's Narayanaswami Srinivasan would chair the ICC board from the middle of this year for an initial period of two years.

Marsh, from Australia, said it was of extreme concern to Fica - the body which co-ordinates the activities of all the national players' associations - that so many involved in the game condemned the proposed changes, including players past and present.

"Former ICC office bearers; Transparency International - the body set up to fight global corruption; Lord Woolf - the man responsible for independently reviewing the ICC's governance; numerous media commentators as well as cricket fans worldwide, yet the ICC Board still approved these changes," he said.

"This should be an indicator to the future for all of us, where self-interest and short-term deal making will override the long-term health of the game and views of its key stakeholders.

"Fica and its members will continue to oppose these changes in the interests of the game's future."

The ICC resolution needed eight of the 10 full members to vote in favour of the changes.

South Africa supported the proposals giving the ICC board the extra vote they needed.

Only Pakistan and Sri Lanka abstained. - Sapa