Greig favours Asian league as an extension of IPL

MUMBAI: Cricketer turned commentator Tony Greig is an outspoken commentator and at times controversial but all that has little impact on the man who is more in the news these days for his tirade against the BCCI and its progeny, the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Speaking at the MCC Spirit of Cricket Cowdrey Lecture, Greig has blamed India (read BCCI) for most of the ills inflicting the game.

He suggested that the only way out from the current country versus club conflict is reducing the length of IPL and expanding it to make it a pan-Asia league which would include teams from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Pakistan.

According to Greig, the understanding between the BCCI and these cricket boards would be that no international cricket would be scheduled during the IPL which would mean extra income for these cricket boards and their players which would also address the issue of player availability.

"India (BCCI) should agree to reduce the length of the IPL in its current form as a trade-off for the other countries not scheduling Internationals in opposition to it. That is, unless it adopts my Asian League proposal which I shall discuss in a minute," Greig stated.

"It should agree to expand the IPL to say an Asian League and include extra teams from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan. The cricket boards of these countries should be given a financial interest in the competition, which would enable them to under-write most of their cricket.

"Those funds would compensate 10 the boards for not running domestic Twenty/20 competitions of their own as they are planning to do now. This expanded league would enable players from the have-not countries to earn good money and still be available for Internationals."

He further stated that England and South Africa should set-up their own IPL styled leagues which would also include teams from neighboring countries for example Australia could include New Zealand in the Big Bash League.

"England should set up its equivalent of the IPL and include teams from the West Indies and one team from Ireland, which would have a financial interest in the competition. Similar arrangements should be made by South Africa for Zimbabwe and Kenya. And Australia‘s Big Bash should include New Zealand teams.

At the same time he also contended that the ICC should not grant window to any of the domestic Twenty20 leagues that have sprouted in many cricket playing nations.

The former English captain also chided BCCI for its dictatorial ways of stalling major decisions citing the example of Decision Review System which was implemented but later withdrawn due to BCCI‘s pressure.

He said the ICC was just a namesake governing body of the game. In reality it‘s the BCCI which calls the shots courtesy its fledging cricket market which helps the game survive globally.

"Currently, there are 10 full members of the ICC and the constitution requires the approval of 70%, or seven members, to advance any motion, which means 40%, or four members, can block any motion," said Greig.

"Much of the game is controlled by the BCCI because it controls enough votes to block any proposal put forward at the ICC board meetings. The reason for this is some countries would not survive without the financial opportunities India provides."

However, Greig also had a word of praise for the powerful board. He lauded BCCI‘s effort to reward former cricketers with a one-time payment for their services to Indian cricket.

He was of the firm belief that the problems of world cricket can be addressed if India adheres to the spirit of cricket.

"Mahatma Gandhi had said that a nation‘s culture resides in the hearts and in the soul of its people. As cricket certainly resides in the hearts and souls of Indian people I am optimistic India will lead cricket by acting in the best interests of all countries rather than just for India," he averred.

He also recommended that every international team should be required to play at least three Tests, three ODIs and three Twenty/20 matches against all the other teams in a given home and away cycle for the ICC"s Future Tours Programme to work well.

Five, World cricket should do everything possible to not only help the West Indies become a dominant Test force again but to ensure Pakistan cricket survives the extraordinary situation it finds itself.