ICC Substantially Increase Prize Money for Top Teams in a Bid to Save Test Cricket

February 2, 2012

The International Cricket Council (ICC) have introduced an innovative plan to more than double the prize money for the annual number one Test team from 2013 in order to boost the profile of the sports traditional international game.

England currently top the rankings, but that position may come under threat before this year’s cut-off date in April if they lose a third successive Test against Pakistan.

A press release from the ICC read: “A total of $3.8million (£2.4million) in prize money will be shared among the top four sides on April 1 2013, 2014 and 2015 after the ICC board approved a proposal to substantially increase incentives in the form of prize money to promote Test match cricket in the period before the ICC Test Championship event in 2017.”

ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat added: “This worthy increase in prize money for the top four teams in the Reliance ICC Test Rankings can only be right.

“We are delighted at the growing interest and quality of Test match cricket and we must continue to promote the pinnacle form of the game before and beyond the Test Championship in 2017.”

Previously, the number one Test team received $175,000 (£110,000) but in future will receive a minimum of $450,000 (£283,000) rising to $500,000 (£315,000) in 2015.

It was also announced after the world governing body’s two-day meeting in Dubai that the ICC will have a board chairman and president from 2014 onwards, splitting the role currently filled by the president alone.

A chairman will lead the board, while the president’s function will become an ambassadorial one.

Lorgat told a press conference of the intended change following a meeting which also considered Lord Woolf’s 60-page report into the organisation’s governance.

However, there will be no decisions on the key recommendations of the independent governance review until at least the next board meeting in April.


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