Small seven to get $10m

New Delhi, November 25

The ICC has decided to pay seven full-member boards $10 million over the next eight years as part of Test Cricket Fund announced last year when Big Three (BCCI, ECB and CA) had gained control over the revamped ICC. According to ESPNcricinfo, the full-member boards will receive USD 1.25 million each annually, beginning January 2016.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) plans to make its first Test Cricket Fund payment of $600,000 in early January, and then disburse another &650,000 to the 'small seven' member boards in July. Payments are expected to follow this biannual pattern until 2023.

The ICC had originally announced that the Test Cricket Fund was aimed to "encourage and support Test cricket" outside the Big Three nations – India, England and Australia.

Since the boards have already entered bilateral touring agreements until 2023, there appears to be limited scope to enhance their Test schedules using these payments.

The report says, "It seems that the money would be used to underwrite loss-making tours. For example, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) loses money on Test tours featuring all countries except the Big Three and Pakistan."

The Test Cricket Fund would help them recover losses from home tours such as the recent visit by West Indies, which is estimated to have cost SLC about USD 648,000.

However, the ICC is yet to announce the funds' terms of usage, or how it will hold boards accountable to the objective of encouraging Test cricket. PTI