The West Indies are "leading a push for radical changes to protect the competitiveness" of int'l cricket, according to Tim Wigmore of the London TELEGRAPH. A new report by the West Indies advocates money from the Int'l Cricket Council being allocated "more equitably between countries," broadcasting rights being pooled, away teams receiving a share of home broadcasting rights for series and major global events being shared between more countries. The proposals are formally on the agenda at the ICC Annual Conference in Dublin, which begins on Thursday. Cricket West Indies CEO Johnny Grave said, "There has never been more money in the sport. The game must adopt more equitable revenue sharing to ensure that cricket is sustainable in all countries, that the game grows throughout the world and that there is a competitive balance among teams to generate interest among fans." The report also claims that the structure of int'l cricket is "loaded in favour of wealthier nations." It warns that if steps are not taken to help the sport in other countries, nations from beyond Australia, England and India -- the "Big Three" -- will "become weaker, matches will lose competitive balance and the appeal of international cricket will dwindle" (TELEGRAPH, 6/26).
