Australia to push for new World Cup plan at ICC's Hong Kong meeting

Hong Kong Herald (ANI) Monday 27th June, 2011

Cricket Australia is hoping a concession to open the last spot in the 2015 World Cup to qualification will appease associate nations and salvage the plan to cut the tournament from 14 teams to 10.

The International Cricket Council board's decision in early April, only two days after the World Cup final, to cull four teams from the 2015 event, left disappointed associate nations without any opportunity to qualify.

The proposal to open the last two positions to qualification was rejected. Instead, the board voted to limit the tournament to full ICC members, favouring 11th-ranked Zimbabwe - a regular ally of India - and sidelining Ireland, despite the latter proving its mettle by beating England shortly beforehand.

Widespread anger at the decision prompted the ICC to put the issue back on the agenda for this week's annual conference in Hong Kong.

The hosts of the 2015 event, Australia and New Zealand, favour the reduction because they believe it results in fewer one-sided matches, with every team playing the other nine and the top four progressing to the semi-finals.

They are believed to be supported by ICC executives and the TV rights holder ESPN Star Sports.

Under the revised qualification plan the team ranked 10th by the ICC would host a tournament involving it and the teams ranked 11th, 12th and 13th.

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