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| May 10, 2006 | Wednesday | Rabi-us-Sani 11, 1427 |
ICC launches new six-year Future Tours Programme
DUBAI, May 9: International Cricket Council on Tuesday launched the new six-year Future Tours Programme (FTP) on its website, which was unanimously approved by ICC's Executive Board at its March meeting in Dubai, provides foundation for a balanced schedule of international cricket for ICC Full Members.
The England-Sri Lanka series, beginning at Lord's on Thursday, is first to start under new six-year program of international cricket up to 2012 and offers following benefits:
Regular home and away Test and ODI cricket for all ICC full members, consideration of player workload guidelines, protection of status of Test cricket and ‘icon’ series, recognition of importance of global development and controlled volume of international Twenty20 cricket.
Commenting on website launch, ICC Chief Executive Officer Malcolm Speed said: “The drafting of new FTP was an incredibly complex process involving two years of analysis and 10 drafts.
“But now that process has been completed and approved by our members it provides them with certainty of scheduling right through until 2012.
“By publishing that schedule on our website it means everyone can quickly discover their team's future commitments and be able to plan accordingly.”
The new FTP retains core commitment to reciprocal tours for full members but expands touring cycle from five years, under previous FTP, to six years.
Spreading calendar over six years means each side can fulfill its mandatory minimum requirements of two Tests and three ODIs, home and away, against every other full member over that period while still scheduling rest periods for their players.
At same time it allows members to tailor schedule to suit their own, specific, needs while preserving time in calendar to accommodate icon series such as the Ashes and the India-Pakistan clash on a four-year cycle.
FTP was put together on basis of guidelines supported by ICC Cricket Committee, players at captains' meeting and by player representatives, including FICA.
Those guidelines suggest volume of cricket for each team should not exceed 15 Test matches and 30 ODIs in a 12-month period.
Even with inclusion of more regular traditional rivalries, ICC Cricket World Cup, ICC Champions Trophy and Asia Cup, all of teams fall within these guidelines when schedules are analysed over six year period.
FTP places a limit on number of international Twenty20 matches that Members can arrange. No side will be permitted to play more than two home Twenty20 matches in any series or more than three home matches in any year.
For first time ODIs involving top six Associate Members have also been enshrined in FTP.
Commenting on new six-year FTP, ICC General Manager (Cricket) David Richardson said: “We think balance that has been struck by this new FTP is about right. We believe that in conjunction with ICC events it will help ensure that sport continues to remain popular with players, supporters, broadcasters and sponsors.
“It is now up to our Members to responsibly manage their calendar of international cricket beyond the mandatory commitments of FTP and ICC events.”—Agencies
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