Nidhish Waghmare
The cricketing world has been rocked by the resignations of two key International Cricket Council (ICC) officials, Chris Tetley, Head of Events, and Claire Furlong, General Manager of Marketing and Communications. The news comes just a week before the ICC’s annual conference in Colombo and raises questions about the recently concluded T20 World Cup, particularly the matches held in the United States.
Departures Spark Speculation About US Leg of T20 World Cup
While the official announcement cites the end of a commercial cycle as the reason for the resignations, sources close to the ICC suggest a longer timeline. These sources claim Tetley and Furlong had decided to leave months ago but remained on board to oversee the T20 World Cup. They will reportedly continue with the ICC for a few more months to ensure a smooth handover during a busy event schedule and will attend the upcoming Colombo conference.
The resignations come amidst speculation regarding the conduct of the T20 World Cup, specifically the matches held in the United States. The New York leg, a major project for the ICC, drew criticism for its “up and down” drop-in pitches, leading to low-scoring encounters.
Concerns Over New York Pitches
According to reports, a key member of the ICC board raised concerns about the New York pitches through a letter addressed to other members. These pitches resulted in a significantly lower number of fours and sixes compared to what’s typically expected in T20 cricket.
Despite the concerns, the eventual champions, India, refrained from commenting on the pitch conditions, stating that all teams faced the same challenge.
US Matches Organized by Separate Entity
The US leg of the tournament was overseen by T20 World Cup Inc., a separate entity responsible for constructing the Nassau County stadium in record time. This modular stadium, specifically built for the tournament, was dismantled following the conclusion of the New York matches. Eight out of the sixteen games allocated to the US were played at this venue.
The resignations of Tetley and Furlong, coupled with the concerns surrounding the New York leg of the T20 World Cup, have cast a shadow over the ICC. The upcoming Colombo conference is expected to see members address these issues and discuss the future of hosting major tournaments in unconventional venues with non-traditional playing conditions.
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