ICC World Twenty20

The ICC World Twenty20 is the international championship of Twenty20 cricket organised by the ICC (International Cricket Council). The inaugural event, was staged in South Africa in September 2007 which was won by India. The second event took place in England in June 2009 and was won by Pakistan.
The 3rd event is scheduled to Take place in the Caribbean in 2010.

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Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Australia unseeded for ICC World Twenty20 2010

Reigning 50-over world champions Australia, have been ranked below Bangladesh for next year’s World Twenty20 in the Caribbean, organisers announced on Sunday.

Seedings are based primarily on the results of last month’s second edition of the tournament in England, which saw Pakistan, losing finalists in 2007, beat Sri Lanka at Lord’s to take the trophy.

Australia lost both their group matches, against the West Indies and Sri Lanka. Bangladesh too also failed to make it through to the second round, after defeats by minnows Ireland and 2007 champions India.

But Bangladesh emerged with a slightly better, if still negative, run-rate compared to that of Australia (-0.996 to -1.331).

Both countries have now been placed in the same first round Group A, along with defending champions Pakistan.

The top two sides from each of the four groups in the 12-nation men’s tournament will go through to the second round Super Eights from which the top four sides for the semi-finals will be drawn.

Should Australia qualify at Bangladesh’s expense they would inherit their rivals’ A2 seeding.

Bangladesh, if they got through instead of Australia, would remain as A2 regardless of whether they or Pakistan topped the group.

In one of cricket’s greatest shocks, Bangladesh beat Australia by five wickets in a 50 over one-day international at Cardiff – where the 2009 Ashes begin on Wedenesday – in 2005.

The semi-finals and final of the eight-team women’s tournament will take place on the same days and at the same venues as the corresponding men’s matches, a move that was widely seen as helping give women’s cricket a greater profile during last month’s World Twenty20.

Monday, November 9, 2009

ICC World Twenty20 games slated for the Caribbean

The international cricket council’s world twenty20 tournament is due to be played in the Caribbean next year, starting in April. The launching of the event will take place in Barbados at the end of this month and tickets will go on sale from November 1st.

This announcement was made after the I.C.C.’s chief executives committee meeting in South Africa. The men’s world twenty20 2010 will be the third edition of the tournament and will be played in Barbados, St. Kitts, Guyana and St. Lucia next April and May.


Venues:

Barbados: Kensington Oval
Guyana: National Stadium, Providence
St. Lucia: Beausejour Stadium
St. Kitts: Warren Park

Men’s Tournament

Group A: Pakistan, Bangladesh, Australia
Group B: Sri Lanka, New Zealand, Zimbabwe
Group C: South Africa, India and Qualifier 1
Group D: West Indies, England and Qualifier 2

WICB and WIPA: Nearly All Matters Resolved

Oct. 13, 2009 --WICB and WIPA have announced that nearly all outstanding matters in dispute between the two bodies have been settled amicably. Resolution of the matters in dispute was reached after a three day meeting between Dr. Julian Hunte and Mr. Dinanath Ramnarine.

Only two outstanding matters – the issue regarding the India 2009 Tour and the issue of 'Team Rights' – will be referred to a special arbitration process as set out in the recommendations of the CARICOM Prime Ministerial Sub Committee on Cricket given on the 11th September 2009 and agreed to by the WICB and WIPA.

In addition, the WICB and the WIPA agreed to commence negotiations on or before October 15th 2009 with respect to a new long term MOU/CBA agreement between the parties, with a commitment towards its finalization by December 31st 2009, at the latest.

Both parties are pleased that the Agreement reached creates an environment to engage in building a genuine partnership that can ensure the long term development and progress of West Indies cricket.

ICC World Twenty20 2010 launches global hospitality sales force

Castries -- Oct. 21, 2009 --  The promotion of hospitality packages for next year’s ICC World Twenty20 West Indies 2010 has been pushed up a notch as the official hospitality programme has now signed up additional agents in to promote the sale of these exclusive products.

Great Vacations (Jamaica), Carib Travel (Saint Lucia) and The Travel Centre (Trinidad and Tobago) are three new additions to the Caribbean sales team, each of which has experience in hospitality sales during ICC Cricket World Cup 2007.

Approaching the key markets of India and South Africa are Twenty First Century Media and One Stop Sports and Entertainment, respectively while completing the line up are two Australian agents, the renowned and experienced Platinum Pass and the ticketing giant Ticketek.

All sales agents will be promoting and selling two types of hospitality, the Century Dining package and the Beyond the Boundary Suite package.

Both will be competitively priced – significantly cheaper than comparative packages for the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2007. Prices and package inclusions, as well as a list of all official hospitality sales agents, are available by visiting www.windiescrickethospitality.com or by following the ‘hospitality link’ at www.icc-cricket.yahoo.net.

Any parties interested in becoming an official sales agent are asked to email hospitality@windiescricket.com for an information pack.

Background:

Pricing information:


· On average, pricing for this tournament is almost half the cost of similar packages sold to ICC Cricket World Cup West Indies 2007:

- A dining package to the final in 2007 cost US$1,299. This time it will cost just US$649 for what is essentially the same package in the same facility at the same venue

- A dining package to a semi-final in 2010 will cost just US$449 compared to US$749 in 2007

- A suite package in Guyana cost US$2,200 for six matches over six days for CWC 2007. In 2010 it will cost just US$800 for six matches over four days for ICC WT20 2010

- A suite package in St Lucia cost US$2,600 for six matches and one semi-final in 2007. It now costs just US$1,500 for eight matches and both semi-final matches at ICC WT20 2010

- A suite package in Barbados cost US$5,000 for six matches and the final in 2007. In 2010 it will cost a customer just US$1,800 (standard) or US$2,400 (premium) for 10 matches and the final


· There will be all of the customary West Indian sounds and sights at every match, including conch shells, flags and drums

· The public ticket prices have been set low to focus on filling every ground with all of the enthusiastic West Indian cricket fans and travelling fans alike – every match is guaranteed to be a spectacle

· At the Super Eight stage, every team that qualifies will play in both St Lucia and Barbados. A suite customer will be able to watch every Super Eight team play, as well as both semi-finals (St Lucia) or the final (Barbados)
With the exception of two match days in Guyana, every game day will feature double-headers, offering twice as much cricket for half of the price.

source: caribbeanpressreleases

Twenty20 Championship to remain in the Caribbean

Image 

 The world governing body of cricket, the ICC, has rebuffed reports that 2010 ICC World Twenty20 Championships could be switched from the Caribbean to the United Arab Emirates.

The UK based newspaper the Daily Mail had reported that chief executives from the leading countries were considering switching the location of the event, which is to be held in May, to the UAE due to the on going contractual dispute between the West Indies Cricket Board and the players association, WIPA.

But ICC officials have denied the reports stating that they have no intention to move the tournament out of the Caribbean.

It is believed the ICC are wary of a repeat of the disastrous World Cup in the Caribbean in 2007, which saw poor crowds and poor cricket and feel the host must have a team capable of making an impact.

The ICC netted a $50 million profit from the massive success of the second staging of the World Twenty20 Championships in England earlier this year.

Source: radiojamaica

No regional T20 before World Twenty20 - Ernest Hilaire

Ernest Hilaire, the newly elected chief executive of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), has said it won't be possible to conduct a regional Twenty20 tournament to give the West Indies players sufficient practice before the ICC World Twenty20 in April-May, in the Caribbean.

Hilaire said West Indies' international schedule, starting with the tour of Australia this month, was too packed to accommodate a tournament.

"I think it will be difficult between now and the tournament in April next year to have a Twenty20 tournament," Hilaire said at the launch of the World Twenty20's ticket sales in Barbados. "We will not have a Twenty20 tournament before the World Cup because there is already a schedule of matches up to that time.

"We travel to Australia in the next couple of weeks and return at the end of the year. We start from January our regional four-day tournament that would last until the end of March. In between that, we will be traveling to Australia for the one-day (bilateral) series and then we host Zimbabwe and there is virtually no space for us to have a Twenty20 tournament."

Hilaire however was confident that the West Indies team will be sufficiently prepared for the world tournament. West Indies end their tour of Australia with the two Twenty20 internationals before taking on Zimbabwe at home for a limited-overs series in March.

"We will be playing Twenty20 matches in Australia, as well as against Zimbabwe, so you do not need to have a regional Twenty20 tournament for the team to prepare. We are trying to ensure the team plays enough matches leading up to the World Twenty20."

The Stanford 20/20 was the only recognised tournament in the Caribbean, which ran for two seasons before it was cancelled after Allen Stanford, the Texan billionaire who bankrolled the tournament, was arrested on charges of fraud. Deryck Murray, the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board president, recently proposed a West Indies Twenty20 Championship at the end of the year, to help choose the best side in the region, who will then go onto represent West Indies in future editions of the Champions League Twenty20. T&T, the winners of the Stanford 20/20, qualified for the Champions League in India and reached the finals.

Hilaire assured that the board will discuss the possibilities of hosting a regional tournament in future.

"One of the things we are doing at the WICB now is a schedule of cricket until 2012 where we will actually create slots in the annual calendar to allow for our three regional tournaments - the four-day, the one-day and a Twenty20 tournament - as well as ensuring we meet all our international commitments, creating space for each territorial board to have their own tournaments. The challenge we are facing now is that there is so much cricket, and cricket is becoming so attractive for cricketers themselves, that we absolutely need to establish that schedule."

Source: Cricinfo
No regional T20 before World Twenty20 - Ernest Hilaire



Ernest Hilaire, the newly elected chief executive of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), has said it won't be possible to conduct a regional Twenty20 tournament to give the West Indies players sufficient practice before the ICC World Twenty20 in April-May, in the Caribbean.

Hilaire said West Indies' international schedule, starting with the tour of Australia this month, was too packed to accommodate a tournament.

"I think it will be difficult between now and the tournament in April next year to have a Twenty20 tournament," Hilaire said at the launch of the World Twenty20's ticket sales in Barbados. "We will not have a Twenty20 tournament before the World Cup because there is already a schedule of matches up to that time.

"We travel to Australia in the next couple of weeks and return at the end of the year. We start from January our regional four-day tournament that would last until the end of March. In between that, we will be traveling to Australia for the one-day (bilateral) series and then we host Zimbabwe and there is virtually no space for us to have a Twenty20 tournament."

Hilaire however was confident that the West Indies team will be sufficiently prepared for the world tournament. West Indies end their tour of Australia with the two Twenty20 internationals before taking on Zimbabwe at home for a limited-overs series in March.

"We will be playing Twenty20 matches in Australia, as well as against Zimbabwe, so you do not need to have a regional Twenty20 tournament for the team to prepare. We are trying to ensure the team plays enough matches leading up to the World Twenty20."

The Stanford 20/20 was the only recognised tournament in the Caribbean, which ran for two seasons before it was cancelled after Allen Stanford, the Texan billionaire who bankrolled the tournament, was arrested on charges of fraud. Deryck Murray, the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board president, recently proposed a West Indies Twenty20 Championship at the end of the year, to help choose the best side in the region, who will then go onto represent West Indies in future editions of the Champions League Twenty20. T&T, the winners of the Stanford 20/20, qualified for the Champions League in India and reached the finals.

Hilaire assured that the board will discuss the possibilities of hosting a regional tournament in future.

"One of the things we are doing at the WICB now is a schedule of cricket until 2012 where we will actually create slots in the annual calendar to allow for our three regional tournaments - the four-day, the one-day and a Twenty20 tournament - as well as ensuring we meet all our international commitments, creating space for each territorial board to have their own tournaments. The challenge we are facing now is that there is so much cricket, and cricket is becoming so attractive for cricketers themselves, that we absolutely need to establish that schedule."

Source: Cricinfo

On to the best Twenty20 World Cup ever

In the presence of the Caribbean and the world’s finest cricketers, Clive Lloyd, Sir Everton Weekes, Sir Garfield Sobers and Joel ‘Big Bird’ Garner just to name a  few, the International Cricket Council (ICC) officially launched it’s ticket sales for next year’s Twenty20 World Cup at the outstanding facilities of the Kensington Oval in Barbados Saturday evening.

Splashed with the tournament’s phrase, Captivating, Contagious Cricket, cricketing greats of the past, along with representatives from the ICC and the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), officially declared ticket box offices in the Caribbean and around the world open.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the ICC Haroon Lorgat expressed high optimism that 2010 World T20 will be just as or even more exciting that the two previous showings in South Africa and England and also assured West Indians that a reoccurrence of 2007 Cricket World Cup was not possible.

“We want to see people filling the party stands, enjoying the sights, sounds and fellowship of a day at the cricket. We want them to bring their conch shells, their drums, their flags and banners. We want them to bring their voices, their sense of humour and their passion for the game and for their team,” Lorgat said.
Having a cricketing word – ICC CEO Haroon Lorgat (left) shares a light conversation with Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) President Chetram Singh (right) and Secretary Anand Sanassie at the WT20 ticket sales launch in Barbados on Saturday.

Having a cricketing word – ICC CEO Haroon Lorgat (left) shares a light conversation with Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) President Chetram Singh (right) and Secretary Anand Sanassie at the WT20 ticket sales launch in Barbados on Saturday.

The South African Lorgat says that the ICC …”recognizes the unique nature of cricket in the West Indies and we want this to be a cricket tournament with a genuine West Indian feel. This is another wonderful opportunity for the West Indian countries to prove again their ability to stage a major world event right here in the Caribbean.”

The 49 year-old Lorgat, who took up the post in April of 2008, succeeding Australian Malcolm Speed, declared that the countdown was on now with the four host countries to ensure the focus of the world will be on another great ICC event.  Cricket in this part of the world Lorgat said, has captured the imagination of fans in every corner of the globe.

He added that every team has its own way of doing things and the style, passion and power of how the game has been played by generations of West Indian cricketers is their signature, their indelible mark that will remain forever. Meanwhile, ICC WT20 Tournament Director Robert Bryan was obdurate in his address to the gathering in stating that the Caribbean will deliver what he calls the best Twenty20 World Cup ever.

This is not the first time that the Jamaican Bryan is soaking his feet in the deep waters of one of the games spectacles as he was the CEO  Operations of the 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup in his homeland.

“The ICC World Twenty/20 is no ordinary tournament; it’s the best from the world of Twenty/20 cricket. It is the pinnacle of Twenty/20 achievements so if you’re a player, we expect you to bring your ‘A’ game, your best bowling, batting and fielding,” said the Tournament Director.

“If you’re a fan we understand and know that no one does it like they do in the West Indies, we advise you to bring noise makers, your best costumes, your brightest colours, your biggest cheers. Bring it on we say, the speed will be captivating, the energy will be contagious, the tournament will deliver the best captivating, contagious cricket” , Bryan blissfully added.

President of the WICB Julian Hunte said that the Caribbean was less than 200 days away from another signature moment in its history and in the annals of cricket within the West Indies.

Hunte said that not so long ago, the possibility of a world-class sporting event coming to the Caribbean would have been considered at best a fanciful notion.

“Now, here we are preparing diligently for our second international cricket tournament in less than three years with the confidence and professionalism of seasoned experts.”

“Yes, the tickets prices are very attractive, some might even say cheap – and this helps. It is not often that a fan can boast of seeing some of the best players in a sport compete in a final for US$40. In fact, it’s TWO finals for that price – both the men’s and women’s. There is also the potential of watching some riveting first round match-ups for just US$5. Special consideration has also been given to Under-16 fans, as you will hear later,” the WICB boss said.

Four venues will be used next year for the games showpiece event with Barbados, Guyana and St Lucia staging the men’s tournament and St Kitts hosting the women’s.

The National Stadium at Providence will play host to the first round matches where Guyanese will get a chance to witness the opening of the ICC WT20 on April 30 along with all the  West Indies matches.

Tickets for the stands will be sold at US$10 and grounds or grass mound as it is known are being sold at US$5 and party stands US$65 while children under will be admitted for free.

St Lucia and Barbados were fortunate to host both super eight and semi-finals along with the first round sets of matches, but the Kensington Oval was named the home of the finals for the male and females championships.

Tickets will be sold on a first come first served basis with a minimal of four tickets per household per match.

Source: Stabroek News