Int'l Cricket Council CEO Dave Richardson said that the world governing body is "unlikely to change its plans to reduce the number of teams at the next World Cup despite being impressed by the performances of the Associate nations during the current tournament," according to Julian Linden of REUTERS. The next World Cup in '19 will be contested by just 10 teams -- four less than the '15 edition -- "prompting complaints from the sport's developing teams they are being shut out from the sport's biggest spectacle." Richardson said that the issue over the number of teams for the next World Cup "was not set in stone and would be reviewed later this year but he did not expect any changes." Richardson: "The decision has been made, as we stand it's a 10-team tournament at the next World Cup. ... There are lots of commercial implications to consider. We also need to have a look at the attendances at all the Associate games, what were the viewing figures, and see where they really stand." Richardson said that the ICC still had ambitions of "spreading the game to new frontiers," such as the U.S., but its priority for now was "consolidating their existing teams" (REUTERS, 3/26). In Melbourne, Jesse Hogan reported two of the key cricket attendance milestones reached at the MCG "could be trumped by Sunday's World Cup final." The final between Pakistan and England in '92 drew a crowd of 87,182. Cricket World Cup Local Organizing Committee CEO John Harnden "declined to predict a crowd figure for Sunday's final." Harnden predicted the first qualifier for the final, New Zealand, "would attract support beyond their travelling and expat fans, because of the distinct passion they have demonstrated throughout the tournament" (THE AGE, 3/26). The AAP reported New Zealand fans have been "snapping up MCG seats for the World Cup final, prompting airlines to schedule extra flights." Air New Zealand is laying on a special charter flight from Auckland on Sunday after "additional services departing on Saturday sold out in an hour." Qantas has "also added extra flights to cope with the demand." But seats are not cheap, with the lowest return fare at A$960 ($750) (AAP, 3/27).
