Responding to recent requests and discussion around the possibility of a shift to 4-day Test cricket, FICA Executive Chairman Tony Irish makes the following comment:
“We continue to follow this issue closely and understand that discussions are taking place at various levels on this.”
“From our discussions with players around the world, and our global survey data, it is clear that there is currently a lot of negative sentiment, within the global collective of players, towards such a significant change to the game’s most traditional format.”
“Given the obvious cricketing implications, if the ICC and/or Boards do want to make a broader case for 4-day Test cricket, we would need to clearly understand what both the economic and scheduling benefits would be, so we can discuss that with players and gauge genuine collective feedback. It is particularly important for us, and the players, to understand how any additional calendar space in the playing schedule would be used. Making a fundamental change simply in order to provide calendar space to fill with additional or meaningless cricket is clearly not something we can support. Cricket’s global structure desperately needs clarity, rather than further confusion.”
“Until such a time as we and the players are provided with the full picture and compelling reasons for change, we remain supportive of 5-day Test cricket, and would expect significant player resistance if a shift to that is imposed on players by the ICC and/or Boards. Test cricket is a cherished format of the game and it needs player support and buy in to survive. We urge those making decisions to understand that.”
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The Federation of International Cricketers Associations (FICA) is the global players’ representative body in cricket, protecting and promoting the interests of professional cricketers throughout the world. FICA was established in 1998 to co-ordinate the activities of all national players’ associations. FICA is a democratic player-driven organisation and it brings together the world’s cricketers, past and present, regardless of nationality, religion, political persuasion or race under an international body which focuses on matters that affect the players, collectively and individually.
FICA Structure
President – Vikram Solanki
Executive Chairman – Tony Irish
Chief Operating Officer – Tom Moffat
FICA Board
Australian Cricketers’ Association – Alistair Nicholson
Cricketers Welfare Association of Bangladesh – Debabrata Paul
Irish Cricketers’ Association – Cecelia Joyce
New Zealand Cricket Players’ Association – Heath Mills
Professional Cricketers’ Association (UK) – Tony Irish
Scottish Cricketers’ Association – Alasdair Evans
South African Cricketers’ Association – Pending
Sri Lankan Cricketers’ Association – Ken De Alwis
West Indies Players’ Association – Wavell Hinds
Independent – Lisa Sthalekar
For further information please contact media@thefica.com
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