ICC chairman Barclay hints that ODI Super League will not be useless simply but
Following Netherlands’ gorgeous run to the 2023 Men’s World Cup, there are calls from each the Dutch and the ICC for a continuance of the World Cup Super League (WCSL) in some kind. The world’s prime 13 ODI sides featured within the first version of the WCSL, which gave Associate groups resembling Netherlands the possibility to pit themselves towards prime opposition frequently. Netherlands’ efficiency within the World Cup Qualifier, as additionally these of different Associate groups, notably Scotland, has been seen as proof of the WCSL having made these sides extra battle-hardened.
“I don’t think there is any doubt that the Super League was hugely helpful in terms of a pathway to Associate countries,” Greg Barclay, the ICC chairman, stated at a press convention in Harare on Friday. “The fact that you are seeing some of the performances from the Associate members over here, in large part, was due to the fact that they have had the experience of playing teams ranked above where they are.
“It’s a piece on. It’s no secret that T20 is in a reasonably good place, Test cricket has had a shot within the arm [with the World Test Championship] however perhaps we have misplaced our method a bit bit within the 50-over format. We want to deal with each context and relevance and the expertise round that. Is {that a} re-creation of the Super League or one thing equal? I do not know however I think that the reply to that will likely be sure. We must do one thing.”
As issues stand, the WCSL will not be played during the 2023-2027 ODI cycle, with the participants for the 2027 World Cup to be decided based on rankings. This means there is no imperative for teams to play a set number of ODIs in the next four years (the World Cup Super League made provision for 24 ODIs, in eight series of three matches each), Associate teams are not guaranteed 50-overs cricket against Full Members, which has increased the volume of questions surrounding the relevance of bilateral ODI cricket, which the ICC acknowledges.
“We want to verify one-day cricket continues to have a following,” Barclay said. “It’s operating the chance in the meanwhile of getting a variety of irrelevancy by way of the bilateral preparations which are made.”
But how this will be fixed remains unclear. From the information ESPNcricinfo has to date, the Super League is not on the agenda at the ICC’s AGM, which will take place next week, even though the Associate boards will be present and eager to discuss the way forward. Barclay, too, believes that they have a case, especially after the Netherlands’ Qualifier success. “If we settle for that we’re retaining all three types of the sport then we’ve acquired to present the subsequent tier of nations, primarily these high-performing Associates, the chance to make it possible for they then carry out on the prime desk when they’re acting at world occasions,” he said. “We’ve acquired 14 groups [qualifying for the World Cup] within the subsequent cycle, so we have to verify they’re aggressive and ready after they get to these occasions.”
A case in point are the Dutch themselves, who, had they not qualified for the World Cup, would have had no fixtures scheduled from the end of the Qualifier until the start of the new World Cup Cricket League 2 next February. Their success at last year’s T20 World Cup, where they advanced to the Super 12s and finished fourth in their six-team group, means they do not have to play in the European Qualifiers for the 2024 T20 World Cup. That means that in peak European summer, Netherlands have an empty calendar and no indication of when they play competitively before or after the ODI World Cup.
Opening batter Max O’Dowd described Netherlands as “gutted” at the discontinuance of the WCSL. “It’s simply the robust actuality that we stay in as Associate groups,” he said. “I do not just like the phrase Associate however us, in that boat, we simply do not get the identical cricket. We’re all extraordinarily gutted that the Super League is gone as a result of you may see the place we have come from to the place we at the moment are.”
Netherlands won only three of their 24 Super League matches (two against Ireland, who finished 11th, and one over Zimbabwe, who were 12th) and ended the WCSL in last place. But the value they took from playing against Full Members informed how they went about this Qualifier – particularly their approach against spin – and taught them how to build winning habits.
“The taking part in expertise was huge. If we did not play that Super League, we would not be anyplace close to the place we’re,” O’Dowd said. “We had been in conditions so many instances the place we truly ought to have received video games after which, we created a tradition the place we gave ourselves permission to win these video games. In the previous, we had been fairly comfortable simply getting shut towards large sides. And now, we all know that if we’re in a profitable place, we needs to be profitable. It does not matter who you are taking part in towards. That’s been huge for us. The Super League has boosted so many guys’ confidence.”
The recreation against West Indies in June 2022 is one example. Netherlands were 164 for 1 in the 30th over, chasing 309, and lost 9 for 124 to fall short by 20 runs. They were particularly conservative against Akeal Hosein and Hayden Walsh in that game; they rethought their strategy against spin shortly afterwards. Since then, they have developed confidence in their sweep shots, and memorably beat West Indies in this Qualifier.
Now, Netherlands will have the opportunity to play against nine other Full Members at the World Cup albeit without knowing when their next chance to play against them will be. Asked what they hope their journey to India will offer other Associates, O’Dowd hoped it could serve as an example that the game should continue growing.
“It reveals the power of Associate cricket. The hole between Associate cricket and Full Member nations is dwindling. Three Full Members have missed out on the World Cup,” he said. “I do not wish to sit right here and say to different Associates to work tougher and all that form of stuff as a result of I really feel that is a bit degrading. These guys are high quality they usually know what they should do to win video games. I simply hope they will take a little bit of inspiration from what we have been in a position to obtain and hopefully going ahead, they will do the identical.”
Firdose Moonda is ESPNcricinfo’s correspondent for South Africa and girls’s cricket