January 30, 2013 at 5:54 p.m.
Speed stands by expansion plan
Smaller cricket nations ‘bridging the gap’ says ICC chief
Speed who is on a flying visit to Bermuda to check on the island's progress since it was granted one-day-international status said expanding the number of teams playing the game at the top level was a priority for the council.
And he said, despite some of the results, progress was already being made in terms of bridging the gap between the smaller cricket nations and the Test playing countries.
He even suggested that the long-term goal was to expand the number of Test playing nations to 16.
"I am very pleased we have 16 teams in this World Cup. It is important to expand the base.
"If you look back to the 1980s there were only six Test playing nations. Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe and Bangaladesh have come to the table and South Africa are back. There are those who say you should keep the top level for the top teams but we want to go forward not back.
"I would like to see 16 countries playing top level cricket and for the gap to be bridged significantly.
"I expect the associate teams to do well at the World Cup and give the bigger teams a fright and maybe even qualify for the next stage.
"If Bermuda beats a Test playing nation then I'll be very pleased."
He said the key to closing the gap was not to have Bermuda challenging Australia for top honours.
"In any sport there is always going to be a big gap between the best team and the 16th best team what we need to is close the gap between the 10th and the 11th best team.
"The ICC is providing funding for the associates, they are involved in more than 100 one day internationals this year and they are starting to get opportunities to play against bigger nations."
He added that Bermuda's challenge as a tiny island was to get the best out of its small talent pool.
"You have to do everything that bit better than the other countries. You can't let any talent slip through the net.
"All of your first class athletes have to be playing your major sport."
He added that there were plenty of incentives for Bermudians to play cricket and the infrastructure that the board had set up from under-10 level right through to the senior team bode well for the future.[[In-content Ad]]
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