ICC Champions Trophy Boycott?

Posted by David Whitley Jun 18, 2007

There has been talk recently of international cricketers organising a boycott of the ICC Champions Trophy, due to be held in Pakistan in 2008.

This is a repercussion of the packed international schedule that has seen players, commentators and fans alike complain that too much international cricket is being played.

They’re not wrong – the calendar is absolutely crammed with Test matches and utterly meaningless One Day tournaments. And, as the current England vs West Indies series shows, more is equalling less. Tired players produce tired performances, and when so many games are played, it’s very difficult to be at a physical and mental peak for all of them.

It seems as though the only people who don’t agree that too much international cricket is leading to a decrease in quality are the television networks and the greedy mandarins at the ICC itself. To the men in charge, more cricket equals more revenue.

And this is why we have utterly pointless tournaments such as the ICC Champions Trophy. Played every two years, it is like a mini-World Cup, and it’s simply not needed. Yes, it brings money into the game, but there is going to come a time when the golden goose of TV rights is killed. Sooner or later, the TV companies will realise that the product they’re splashing out millions for just isn’t of the requisite quality, and will soon start offering less. Let’s hope common sense prevails, a few games are cut, and the players can get a break every now and then.