On the second and final day of its meeting in Dubai it also had extensive discussions on the scheduling and hosting of forthcoming ICC events.
The Board confirmed that there would be a major ICC event every year as part of its new package of events from 2007-2015 but stopped short of finalising the events to be included in this package or awarding hosting rights to Members.
Twenty20 World Championship events will be included in the next package of ICC events through to 2015. The package will start with an invitational Twenty20 event in 2007 followed by a 2009 event in which participation will be mandatory.
The four Asian countries - Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka - have been provided an extension to April 21, 2006 to produce a submission for the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2011 or 2015. The countries had sought permission for a late submission for the 2011 event after missing the deadline.
Should a compliant submission from the four countries be received and accepted, England will withdraw its submission to host the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 and it will be proposed that it be awarded the right to host the Twenty20 World Championship in 2009 and the World Cup in 2019 at the ICC Annual Conference in July 2006.
The Board will then determine the hosts of World Cup 2011 and 2015 with Australasia and Asia being the two submissions.
In the event that an ICC-compliant submission is not forthcoming, Australia and New Zealand’s joint bid will be the only submission for World Cup 2011 while England’s 2015 submission will stand.
The Board confirmed that a shorter eight-team ICC Champions Trophy will be part of the package of ICC events with the first of these scheduled to take place in 2008.
A new six-year Future Tours Program has been agreed for the ICC’s 10 full members. This six-year program of reciprocal touring obligations will replace the current five-year program from May 2006. It will require all full member sides to play home and away series against each other within the six-year period.
ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed said the new FTP would help provide certainty of scheduling through to 2012.
