Is Cricket Becoming Another TV and Gambling Mecca?
Test status is conferred upon a country by the International Cricket Council and Test Matches are played between national representative teams which have "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
However, cricket is becoming another TV and gambling mecca. The International Cricket Council sold broadcasting rights for the current and the next World Cup many dollars. Apparently, ticket sales were declining in international test matches and was one of the reasons why the ICC were deemed in some quarters to have 'Sold Out'. The current crisis within the international cricket community has perhaps been precipitated by the climate of suspicion and fear surrounding the war on terror and as a result, we are already seeing lesser number of people watching international cricket games compared to 5 years ago. Another reason for declining crowds are that the facilities for fans inside most leading international stadiums are deplorable to put it mildly.
Television technology, we know, has more or less settled stampings and run-outs in international cricket and is one of the benefits of television as well as bringing the sport to the masses. Not everything the ICC do is wrong, by any means. It is greatly to their credit, for example, that they grasped the nettle of corruption in the game, a problem that dwarfed all the rest, and that the Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) decided last year to begin an education program with all international players and officials, starting when they are playing in Under 19 tournaments.
Cricket is no longer the gentlest of games and is more than the national pastime in some countries. Cricket is not just the game of bat and ball, it is much beyond than this. Cricket is a gentleman's game and still there are many of them playing in the middle.
Author: Peter Whelan
Peter Whelan is a freelance writer with a passion for sport. Visit his site at http://www.cricket4u.info
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