LONDON, March 14: Kenya’s cricket future will be decided at the International Cricket Council (ICC) Executive Board Meeting in Delhi on Thursday and Friday.

Kenyan cricket was thrown into disarray after the government dissolved the KCA in January and appointed a caretaker committee which it later replaced with Cricket Kenya.

The ICC Board will consider a report on the developments in Kenyan cricket and the decision to withhold funding.

ICC President Ehsan Mani, who could be given an additional 12 months in office to take him to the June 2006 ICC Annual Conference, will update the board on discussions with Indian government officials concerning the tax issue that could prevent India hosting the 2006 ICC Champions Trophy.

The ICC’s tax waiver policy was not enforced when India co-hosted two World Cups in the past, in 1987 with Pakistan and in 1996 with both Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

The ICC last year warned that India, the world’s largest market for cricket, was not the place to hold major tournaments because of the government’s high tax rates.

India, with millions of cricket-crazy viewers, has the largest television audience for the sport in the world, and would bid to host cricket’s World Cup in 2011 provided the sport’s showpiece one-day event was exempt from government tax.

The Board will also examine alternatives to the current 12-team format of the Champions Trophy, although any change would see the tournament remain as an ODI event.

And the Board will discus possible changes to the Test-playing programme.

All Test playing countries currently play each other once at home and once away in a five year cycle but the Board will discuss the possibility of changing to a four or six year cycle.

The Executive Board also wants to restructure its commercial arm, IDI, appointing a six-member board instead of the current 15 directors.

Affiliate members will also be hoping a recommendation to have one voting delegate per development region (5) at the annual Associates Meeting and the ICC Annual Conference is approved.

The Executive Board was expected to close the project to develop cricket in the USA over problems within the United States of America Cricket Association (USACA).—AFP