Reserve days for every match at CWC19 would significantly increase length of tournament: ICC

[Abdullah719]

Statement from David Richardson on reserve days

Factoring in a reserve day for every match at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup would significantly increase the length of the tournament and practically would be extremely complex to deliver.

It would impact pitch preparation, team recovery and travel days, accommodation and venue availability, tournament staffing, volunteer and match officials availability, broadcast logistics and very importantly the spectators who in some instances have travelled hours to be at the game. There is also no guarantee that the reserve day would be free from rain either.

Up to 1200 people are on site to deliver a match and everything associated with it including getting it broadcast and a proportion of them are moving around the country so reserve days in the group stage would require a significant uplift in the number of staff. We have reserve days factored in for the knock-out stages, knowing that over the course of 45 group games we should play the large majority.

This is extremely unseasonable weather. In the last couple of days we have experienced more than twice the average monthly rainfall for June which is usually the third driest month in the UK. In 2018 there was just 2mm of rain in June but the last 24 hours alone has seen around 100mm fall in the south-east of England.

When a match is affected by weather conditions, the venue team work closely with Match Officials and Ground Staff to ensure that we have the best possible opportunity to play cricket, even if it is a reduced overs game. We also work to keep fans in the stadium, or those travelling to the game, as up-to-date as possible with any information we have, either through public announcements or on our social media channels.

ICC media release

 

[Hasan123]

The weather in the UK last June was amazing. I was expecting the same this June. Don't know what happened
Hopefully the weather improves.

 

[jnaveen1980]

Unscheduled reserve days is an option. Basically any time it rains play it next day. Sure crowd won't be there. You still get to finish the game atleast.

 

[jnaveen1980]

They will feel the pinch only if semi and final both matches washed out on all 6 days.

 

[Technics 1210]

Significantly increase length of tournament? Only if EVERY game went into a reserve day.

Try again ICC, you messed up, don't try and cover up your incompetence!

 

[Chokli]

Just play the match on a regular ground. No need to broadcast it. Just get a result

 

[Madplayer]

Significantly increase length of tournament? Only if EVERY game went into a reserve day.

Try again ICC, you messed up, don't try and cover up your incompetence!

They have to fix the reserve day in advance and on such days no other matches could be kept. Hence the length of tournament would surely increase.

However there could have been plenty of other innovative ways to counter this kind of weather. What is ICC doing since decades sitting on its backside doing nothing to overcome such a problem.

 

[Ronaldo7]

Just play the match on a regular ground. No need to broadcast it. Just get a result

We're not that desperate.

 

[KingKhanWC]

Poor excuses from the ICC.

 

[KingKhanWC]

They have to fix the reserve day in advance and on such days no other matches could be kept. Hence the length of tournament would surely increase.

However there could have been plenty of other innovative ways to counter this kind of weather. What is ICC doing since decades sitting on its backside doing nothing to overcome such a problem.

Just have it the next day, it will only mean less rest days but it's fine for cricket which isn't the most physical sport.

 

[Technics 1210]

They have to fix the reserve day in advance and on such days no other matches could be kept. Hence the length of tournament would surely increase.

However there could have been plenty of other innovative ways to counter this kind of weather. What is ICC doing since decades sitting on its backside doing nothing to overcome such a problem.

They have an option, broadcast 2 matches on the same day. Press the RED button on Sky remote control! They did so on the 8th! and during the warm up games.

How is this any different to say SKY broadcasting the Ashes and a Bilateral series on the same channel? Or county matches and England vs Pakistan bilateral series on the same channel?

If anything, extend the days! It's the biggest event in the Cricket schedule, and ICC are stingy with time?

 

[Madplayer]

Just have it the next day, it will only mean less rest days but it's fine for cricket which isn't the most physical sport.

Grounds should be available too for this idea to be implemented. Which means if you keep a reserve day for a particular ground, then you can't schedule any other matches on that day on that ground. It is bound to increase tournament length. Its not as simple as we think. But i keep saying, there must be other ways to counter this problem.

 

[Madplayer]

They have an option, broadcast 2 matches on the same day. Press the RED button on Sky remote control! They did so on the 8th! and during the warm up games.

How is this any different to say SKY broadcasting the Ashes and a Bilateral series on the same channel? Or county matches and England vs Pakistan bilateral series on the same channel?

If anything, extend the days! It's the biggest event in the Cricket schedule, and ICC are stingy with time?

Because cricket fans live outside of England in 3rd world countries too where the red button of sky network isnt available

You could argue about time. I agree with that.

 

[kingusama92]

That's a ridiculous excuse.

Set aside reserve days (3-4 days) at the end of the group stage. All washed out matches are played during this period.

 

[KingKhanWC]

Grounds should be available too for this idea to be implemented. Which means if you keep a reserve day for a particular ground, then you can't schedule any other matches on that day on that ground. It is bound to increase tournament length. Its not as simple as we think. But i keep saying, there must be other ways to counter this problem.

So far i have not noticed any single ground having another match the day after a rained out game. If county grounds cannot slot in the next day as a reverse day, dont give them any games in the tournament. These seem like weak excuses because the whole world cup brand is being ruined and cricket itself is being badly harmed.

 

[Technics 1210]

Because cricket fans live outside of England in 3rd world countries too where the red button of sky network isnt available

You could argue about time. I agree with that.

So the ICC is appeasing international fans? Tell me then why did the ICC allow 2 games to be scheduled on the same day - 8th June?

What next? ICC should start play to coincide with the time difference?

 

[Madplayer]

So far i have not noticed any single ground having another match the day after a rained out game. If county grounds cannot slot in the next day as a reverse day, dont give them any games in the tournament. These seem like weak excuses because the whole world cup brand is being ruined and cricket itself is being badly harmed.

If grounds are available to schedule reserve games without substantially increasing the length of the tournament, the this is truly pathetic from ICC. The entire statement comes off as something filled with weak excuses anyway like you said.

 

[Madplayer]

So the ICC is appeasing international fans? Tell me then why did the ICC allow 2 games to be scheduled on the same day - 8th June?

I can only say that they do the best they can but seriously, ofcourse ICC has to take into consideration international viewership. For instance, many of the sponsors are from India.

What next? ICC should start play to coincide with the time difference?

Ofcourse not.

 

[Swashbuckler]

Rain is a factor only in Eng, WI and SL. Next WC will be in Ind (March-April, dry months) and then most probably SA, Aus/NZ and we won't have to worry about rain at all. Who knows by 2030s cricket would have evolved past ODIs or most of us would have lost interest in the sport. If ICC had to implement reserve days this was the tournament, now they needn't be bothered for the next 15 years.

 

[WC-Passion]

That's a ridiculous excuse.

Set aside reserve days (3-4 days) at the end of the group stage. All washed out matches are played during this period.

Don't you know that the ICC is too poor to pay for the staff to turn up again in those reserve days?

 

[The_Odd_One]

ICC should have some pre-reserved venues to host washouts games.

For example, June 15 could be a reserved day. If any game was washed out before June 14, the opponents could play the game on June 15 at a pre-reserved venue. ICC can also sell (cheaper) tickets for reserve day games.

 

[Dr_Bassim]

Well I am not happy that games are washed out.

But ICC do have a point.

June is the driest month and has only 2mm rainfall.

If it suddenly changed to 100 mm in 2019 how can anyone predict such an exponential change.

People just want to blame ICC because they believe it favors India and the Big 3 model.

 

[Technics 1210]

People just want to blame ICC because they believe it favors India and the Big 3 model.

Actually if you read the threads, Indians fan do not want reserve days unless India is effected.

 

[MachoKhan]

A question

Does semi final and final have reserved days?

 

[Titan24]

A question

Does semi final and final have reserved days?

Yes.

 

[Chokli]

We're not that desperate.

Better than no result.

 

[hashimafzal]

Because cricket fans live outside of England in 3rd world countries too where the red button of sky network isnt available

You could argue about time. I agree with that.

But most networks have other channels that could easily air other games. Game on Sky Sports Cricket? Okay the other one is on Main Event. Willow is showing one game? Okay other one is on Willow Xtra and so on

 

[nam]

Rename the tournament to 2019 ICC RAIN CUP if they are not going to have reserve days.

 

[Saj]

Seems to be a cost-cutting decision by ICC.

Some teams don't play a match until after 4 or 5 days so there is no excuse not to have reserve days.

 

[barah_admi]

They have to fix the reserve day in advance and on such days no other matches could be kept. Hence the length of tournament would surely increase.

However there could have been plenty of other innovative ways to counter this kind of weather. What is ICC doing since decades sitting on its backside doing nothing to overcome such a problem.

Does not add up, every ground is not hosting back to back matches so no, there wouldn't be many, or any delays to games prolonging the tournament.

The icc has already created a monstrosity that lasts well over a month, they're worrying about length now?

THEIR real worry is what it will cost them.

 

[sohailmm]

ICC is right , 50 over cricket consumes one full day to complete a game and its would double the length of the tournament. But having two reserve days per week can be a solution . If more than two games are washed out in a week then reduce them to 25-30 over each . Having a reduced game is still much better than having no game at all.

 

[BDfanforever]

See the problem of games washing away in a round robin tournament is that it is also impacting NRR.

NZ played such an easy fixture and got to boost their NRR against SRL and AFG. What if BD vs Afg or Pak vs Afg is also cancelled?

BD as a lower ranked team started by playing RSA, NZ, and Eng while NZ being a top team played SRL, Afg, and BD.

 

[MMHS]

ICC is right , 50 over cricket consumes one full day to complete a game and its would double the length of the tournament. But having two reserve days per week can be a solution . If more than two games are washed out in a week then reduce them to 25-30 over each . Having a reduced game is still much better than having no game at all.

No, they are trying to fool people and from your post, I can see it worked. Having 1 reserve day will prolong the tournament by just 1-2 more days. Initially, they have to make the fixture such that between 2 games, there must be at least 3 days gap. Still it’s possible to schedule 45 games in 35-36 days. Add one more day as reserve for each game, it’ll prolong it to maximum 38 days. Also, the target is to finish the game on first day as late as possible, even through a 20 overs shoot out, which means hardly few games would have gone to day 2 (so far only 3), but it would have avoided such situation.

Allocation of a reserve day for every game definitely has logistical challenges, and cost will be significantly higher, but increase in duration of the WC is a lame excuse. ICC should be honest enough to say that including a reserve day increases the cost, which eventually will reduce the net profit margin, which in the long run is shared by the participants, hence their pie will also reduce ..... so, we haven’t kept a reserve day and that’s completely understandable.

 

[gazza619]

See the problem of games washing away in a round robin tournament is that it is also impacting NRR.

NZ played such an easy fixture and got to boost their NRR against SRL and AFG. What if BD vs Afg or Pak vs Afg is also cancelled?

BD as a lower ranked team started by playing RSA, NZ, and Eng while NZ being a top team played SRL, Afg, and BD.

That will certainly ruin the credibility of this WC.

 

[Chokli]

Seems to be a cost-cutting decision by ICC.

Some teams don't play a match until after 4 or 5 days so there is no excuse not to have reserve days.

Pakistan play India on June 16th and their match after that is on June 23rd.

A week later

 

[JellyBro]

It will def be extremely difficult to have a reserve day for every single game. Scheduling close to 1200 people is no easy task no matter how easy people may think it is. A lot of these folks probably work behind the scenes on every game so you cant expect them to drop their prior commitments and cover reserved days. You cant expect ICC, or anyone for that matter, to have 1000+ crew on standby. That's just ridiculous. It's the same thing as wanting to change the venue and the food on the day of the wedding, asking the photographer to reschedule, telling all your guests that the wedding is now in another location tomorrow, re redoing the decorations, clothes, transportation, hotel, honeymoon...the list goes on
People need to chill out.

 

[BDfanforever]

Allocation of a reserve day for every game definitely has logistical challenges, and cost will be significantly higher, but increase in duration of the WC is a lame excuse. ICC should be honest enough to say that including a reserve day increases the cost, which eventually will reduce the net profit margin, which in the long run is shared by the participants, hence their pie will also reduce ..... so, we haven’t kept a reserve day and that’s completely understandable.

At this rate, if more games are washed away they will lose hell lot more than just a pie.

This is exactly what happens when you buy car without insurance thinking you wont need it.

 

[Chokli]

It will def be extremely difficult to have a reserve day for every single game. Scheduling close to 1200 people is no easy task no matter how easy people may think it is. A lot of these folks probably work behind the scenes on every game so you cant expect them to drop their prior commitments and cover reserved days. You cant expect ICC, or anyone for that matter, to have 1000+ crew on standby. That's just ridiculous. It's the same thing as wanting to change the venue and the food on the day of the wedding, asking the photographer to reschedule, telling all your guests that the wedding is now in another location tomorrow, re redoing the decorations, clothes, transportation, hotel, honeymoon...the list goes on ��
People need to chill out.

If you pay them enough they'll drop anything.

It comes down to money.

 

[PakLFC]

Could have two matches in one day if the ICC had a brain, even one day night match. The Cricket WC that has much fewer teams then it's Football counterpart is ridiculously just as long. This makes no sense at all.

 

[SM1989]

It will def be extremely difficult to have a reserve day for every single game. Scheduling close to 1200 people is no easy task no matter how easy people may think it is. A lot of these folks probably work behind the scenes on every game so you cant expect them to drop their prior commitments and cover reserved days. You cant expect ICC, or anyone for that matter, to have 1000+ crew on standby. That's just ridiculous. It's the same thing as wanting to change the venue and the food on the day of the wedding, asking the photographer to reschedule, telling all your guests that the wedding is now in another location tomorrow, re redoing the decorations, clothes, transportation, hotel, honeymoon...the list goes on
People need to chill out.

What matters is that the matches are completed and have a result. So if the match is rained out. Just play it again the next day even if it can’t be broadcast and has to ne played in an empty stadium

 

[Indiafan]

What matters is that the matches are completed and have a result. So if the match is rained out. Just play it again the next day even if it can’t be broadcast and has to ne played in an empty stadium

I can imagine the conspiracy theories if the matches are not telecast. Some people will deny match even happened. Some will say it was obviously fixed. Others will say umpires were biased as no one to see them, losing team might encourage these rumours. Some people will claim players cheated or tampered without cameras

 

[pakistanigoneaussie]

Even if you take that into consideration there are still plenty of other improvements that could have been made

In Sri Lanka they cover the entire ground in covers, why couldn’t that occur here. Especially the matches in Bristol that they new well in advance would be raining.
Even the TMS commentators made the point that if the entire ground was covered we could have gotten a Pak Sl game

 

[KyoOne]

They should have had two double-headers and one single-header day game on three consecutive days (all 10 teams play once), followed by two off days (first one to cover any washout, second for rest for all teams).

5 games in 5 days done.

The tournament would have lasted almost as long, but with proper allowance for any washout

 

[Aman]

See the problem of games washing away in a round robin tournament is that it is also impacting NRR.

NZ played such an easy fixture and got to boost their NRR against SRL and AFG. What if BD vs Afg or Pak vs Afg is also cancelled?

BD as a lower ranked team started by playing RSA, NZ, and Eng while NZ being a top team played SRL, Afg, and BD.

Yeah, must admit we lucked out big time getting 9 out 9 against the 3 weakest teams.

 

[90MPH]

England of all places needs reserve days.

The weather can never be predicted no matter what time of the year.

 

[HitWicket]

Even if you take that into consideration there are still plenty of other improvements that could have been made

In Sri Lanka they cover the entire ground in covers, why couldn’t that occur here. Especially the matches in Bristol that they new well in advance would be raining.
Even the TMS commentators made the point that if the entire ground was covered we could have gotten a Pak Sl game

There was never going to be enough time to get a game in in Bristol, independant of anything else.

Do you really think if the ground-staff felt full-ground covers would be more effective in England than the current setup at least one of the grounds wouldn't have implemented them yet?