FICA 2011 Player Survey
Following the completion of the 2011 World Cup, FICA surveyed players from its Player Associations regarding various aspects of the World Cup, together with other relevant issues in World Cricket today.
FICA took a field size of 45 players and their responses to the questions have been summarized below.
The detail lying behind this Summary is contained within the document "2011 FICA Player Survey Results - Media". Sorry, this will be posted shortly for your reference.
(Not all Survey questions have been listed in the Results document, as some questions were of little media interest or represented some internal feedback for FICA purposes)
Major outcomes of the survey are detailed below
2011 World Cup
" 94 % of players gave the overall Event a rating of good or above (As a point of comparison, only 11% of players rated the overall 2007 Event as good or above.)
" 74% of players still think the Event is too long and generally support the scheduling of more days where two matches are played
"ICC and the host countries should be congratulated on putting together such a strongly supported Event. There are significant logistical issues in hosting an Event of this magnitude across 3 countries, and despite these issues, the Event scored strong scores of approval from players across a number of critical areas including security, ground facilities, accommodation and practice venues
2015 World Cup
" 72% of Players support the reduction of teams to 10 countries
" 91% of players believe that Event should provide the opportunity for Associate Countries to qualify for the Event
"Players resoundingly reject the ICC Board's decision to restrict the World Cup to Full Members only. The players want the World Cup to be exactly that .. "A World Cup" that is open to qualification to any country in the World not just an Event that is restricted to Full Member Countries. FICA trust that the ICC Board reverse this decision at its June 2011 meeting.
Corruption in Cricket
" The majority of players (77%) thought the penalties that were handed down to the Pakistani players for their spot fixing offences were TOO LENIENT
"This sends a strong signal to stakeholders that the vast number of players want significant penalties to be invoked against those who are found guilty of serious corruption offences.
Whilst 100% of players say that they will report any corrupt approaches made to them, 20% of them do not have confidence in the ICC to treat this information confidentially.
Players are more comfortable reporting to their Team Manager (67%), than ICC Anti Corruption Unit (17%) - despite the obligation on the player under the ICC's Anti Corruption Code to report to the ACU any approaches etc.
Decision Review System
" 82% of players believe the DRS made for better decision making at the 2011 World Cup
" 85% of players support the expansion of DRS into other forms of cricket than Test Cricket
" 97% of players support DRS being compulsory in all Test Matches
"Players from across all FICA territories continue to support the DRS system - whilst players recognize that the system is not perfect - they recognize it for what it was intended - to be able to overturn the blatant mistake - and to improve the % of correct decisions made.
Players are almost unanimous in supporting DRS at all Test Matches, not on a series by series basis , as is the case at the moment- it is confusing for players, umpires, and the public not knowing when the DRS is going to be operable.
It is ridiculous that one country's opposition to the DRS should prohibit a uniform Regulation for all Test cricket.
One Day Format
" Only 24 % of players a change in the format of ODIs
" 39% of players believe that Boards program too much One Day cricket, with the effect of reducing public interest in the game
"Players believe that One Day cricket needs a few tweaks to the format, but not a major reconstruction of the foundation of the format. One Day cricket will benefit from a program with more context and less meaningless matches.
Indian Premier League
" Nearly one third of players would retire prematurely from International cricket to play exclusively in the Indian Premier League
"The Indian Premier League continues to be popular with the players, and its superior pay structures for the players, continue to challenge players' priority over International Cricket.
FICA is a strong advocate of the International Schedule co existing with the Indian Premier League, rather than competing with it. When players are able to earn over ten times their annual salary from their Boards, for just 7 weeks cricket in the IPL, it would be foolhardy of Boards to continue to schedule International matches during IPL and expect players to remain loyal to the Board and International cricket.
General - The International Game
" Over half of the players (54%) would retire from one or more formats of the game because of too much International cricket being played
" 40% of players believe their Board schedules too much cricket
" Players believe the major issues confronting the game are Governance (particularly the inequitable influence upon the ICC Board exercised by the BCCI), Corruption and too much International cricket
" Test Cricket is the format of most importance to the players
"Some Boards continue to schedule an ever increasing workload for their players, and because of the artificial window created for most countries during the IPL, combined with the official window for CLT20 , there are a lesser number of days to play an increasing volume of cricket. Players' responses make it clear that the volume of cricket is a serious issue and if steps are not taken to address this, then players will be lost to the International formats. International cricket needs the best playing the best - otherwise its lacks true meaning. More cricket does not equate with better cricket and more revenues - cricket desperately needs to find context within its cricketing calendar and control the amount of cricket played internationally.
International Cricket Council
" Only 6% of players believe decisions made at ICC Board level are in the wider interests of the game ( outcomes are more so based upon party lines or what is best for my country etc)
" 69% of players believe decisions are unfairly influenced by the BCCI
"As previously mentioned players have highlighted that the governance of the game is a serious issue. FICA have continually advocated for a review of the games' governance. Its present structure is outdated, full of conflicts, cronyism and far from best practice.
FICA does believe though that the ICC day to day management has improved considerably and are unfairly tarnished as a result of decisions of the ICC Chief Executive and Board Committees
- Ends -
Tim May - FICA Chief Executive
Notes to Editors
The Federation of International Cricketers' Associations (FICA) was established in 1998 to co-ordinate the activities of all national players' associations which protect the interests of professional cricketers throughout the world. It brings together all of the world's cricketers, regardless of nationality, religion, political persuasion or race, under an international body focuses on matters of general interest to the game and its players.
Its member associations include - Australian Cricketers' Association, Cricketers Welfare Association of Bangladesh, New Zealand Cricket Players' Association, Professional Cricketers' Association (UK), South African Cricketers' Association, Sri Lankan Cricketers' Association, West Indies Players' Association
