SYDNEY, Jan 2: ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat said on Friday that cricket — currently grappling with major challenges such as security problems — has overcome bigger hurdles in the past.

“As the ICC enters its second century, the game faces challenges — safety and security, player workload, balancing formats, ensuring a competitive balance between ICC members, staying on top of corruption and plenty more besides,” Lorgat said, launching the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) centenary year.

“But then again cricket has always faced challenges just as big, if not bigger, than those currently confronting us — Bodyline, illegal bowling actions in the 1950s and 1960s and corruption, to name just three.

“And, as a successful global sport, cricket will not be unique in facing such significant challenges,” the official added.

The Indian government denied its cricketers permission to play in Pakistan in the wake of November’s Mumbai attacks.

The ICC postponed the Champions Trophy one-day tournament in Pakistan in September over security concerns — the same reason given by Australia for not playing a Test series there last March.

Cricket is also facing the challenge of accommodating different formats of the game — Tests, One-day Internationals and the shorter Twenty20 matches — into its calendar.

But despite these issues, Lorgat said there was plenty for the cricket community to smile about.

“Cricket is a game that gets plenty right, has plenty to celebrate and has plenty to look forward to,” he told reporters at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Lorgat felt the game has always dealt with its challenges and as a result is stronger than ever.

“We are perhaps the only sport with three viable forms of the game at international level and we are about to launch the world’s first Global Cricket Academy in Dubai with state-of-the-art facilities for the world,” he said.

“And, as a governing body that ploughs all money earned back to its members, we have just begun investing $300 million into the development of the game among our second and third-tier members, the biggest commitment to grow a sport outside of football.”

Lorgat said some of cricket’s great players — Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath, Adam Gilchrist, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Shaun Pollock and Brian Lara may have moved on but the recent performances of Ajantha Mendis, A.B. de Villiers, Dale Steyn and Ishant Sharma suggest cricket’s future is in good hands.—AFP