ICC reveals cash injection

Haroon Logat is overseeing the funding programme for the ICC © Getty Images

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Haroon Lorgat has made an immediate impact in his first week as ICC chief executive by revealing the most significant funding package for the development of cricket in the history of the game.

The International Cricket Council has agreed to pump in around £150million to strengthen the game around the globe.

South African Lorgat, who succeeded Malcolm Speed in the ICC’s top job on July 4, confirmed that the funding will assist countries outside its 10 full members.

It will help the growth of the game in relative backwaters such as Turkey, Estonia and Bulgaria who were the latest to join the ICC ‘family’ having been granted affiliate member status at the Annual Conference in Dubai last week.

Lorgat said: “We believe this is the biggest investment in global development by any sport outside football.

“This fresh cash injection highlights we are a not-for-profit organisation. All the revenue we generate from our events, broadcast and commercial agreements is ploughed back into the game.

“It is also an indication of how strong this great game is at present. Participation is at an all-time high in all our members at all levels.

“Thanks to the ICC World Cricket League, all Associate and Affiliate Members now have a clear pathway through to one of the crown jewels of the game, the ICC Cricket World Cup.

“We want to see results that challenge world cricket's existing order. And we want to develop better players and better structures on and off the field, giving everyone the chance to be the best they can be.”

Lorgat continued: “Thanks to agreements with our commercial partners, foremost among them the one we signed in December 2006 with ESPN STAR Sports, the game is financially secure.

“The promise that brings means we can confirm we are making the biggest ever investment in the game from top to bottom over the next seven years. From 2009, the ICC will pump almost £150 million into our 94 associate and affiliate members that make up the developing cricket world.

“It forms a key part of our current strategic plan, to consolidate and to strengthen the game where it is currently played.

“We want to see results that challenge world cricket's existing order. And we want to develop better players and better structures on and off the field, giving everyone the chance to be the best they can be.”