Cricket West Indies CEO Dismisses Proposed $10,000 Test Match Fee as “Not Even Window Dressing”
Outgoing Cricket West Indies (CWI) CEO Johnny Grave has expressed skepticism about the ICC’s proposed $15 million fund to reinforce Test cricket in nations outside the “Big 3” of Australia, India, and England. Grave, who is set to step down from his role in October 2024, believes the idea of a $10,000 Test match fee is woefully inadequate and won’t make a significant difference for the West Indies.
“I think the idea of paying a Test fee of US $10,000 is not even window dressing,” Grave said in a TalkSport podcast. “We pay our players US $10,000. So, I sort of smiled when I saw that come out in the press. I thought, ‘how is it going to change cricket and how’s that going to be saviour of Test cricket when our players are already getting paid that?’ It’s not going to make any difference to us.”
The outgoing CWI CEO acknowledged that the proposed $15 million fund would be a significant amount for his organization, but he argued that it is merely a “rounding error” for other cricketing nations. Grave believes that to truly revive Test cricket in the West Indies, the ICC needs to organize more three-match series, establish dedicated Test windows, and provide more support for ‘A’ team programs.
“What will make a difference, in my opinion, to improve West Indies Test cricket is by playing more three-match series rather than two-match series, by having dedicated Test windows where you’re not competing against franchise opportunities, or actually supporting our ‘A’ team programmes,” Grave stated.
However, Grave acknowledged that the proposed Test fund reflects a shift in the mindset of the “Big 3,” with a desire for stronger opposition beyond just each other. He cited the co-hosting of the 2024 T20 World Cup by the West Indies and the USA, as well as the 2027 ODI World Cup co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia, as examples of this changing approach.
“The fact that we hosted the 2024 [T20] World Cup was a change in mindset and philosophy because the previous eight years, all those high-revenue men’s events were exclusively held in England, Australia and India,” Grave said. “So the fact that we’ve hosted with US, that South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia will co-host one, New Zealand will co-host with Australia, and Ireland with England. That is a change in mindset that we welcome.”
Grave’s comments underscore the need for the ICC and the “Big 3” to take a more holistic approach to reinvigorating Test cricket, with a focus on providing meaningful opportunities and support for smaller cricketing nations like the West Indies.
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