West Indies legend Michael Holding

Published: 30 July, 2015
by TOM FOOT

CRICKET fans may be lapping up the Ashes Test series right now but few will know that allegations of a FIFA-style financial scandal is threatening to undermine the world sport and, perhaps, the future of the famous tournament. 

Michael Holding, the West Indies’ legendary fast bowler known by the nickname “Whispering Death”, told a packed film event on Monday that the sport he loved had been “hijacked”.

He was speaking at the launch of the Death of A Gentleman documentary, which asks serious questions about the International Cricket Council, which runs the sport. In particular a major deal struck in 2014 between cricket’s three most powerful countries: England, Australia and India. 

These “big three” now receive more than 52 per cent of multi-billion pound television revenues, leaving 102 others – including giants West Indies, Sri Lanka and South Africa – to divide up the remaining 48 per cent. The result? 

Audience figures as a whole are down. Television viewing figures are down. And many feel that decisions by the ICC board are killing the game. 

“The three countries have hijacked the game,” Holding said. “The percentage that they are taking out of world cricket has increased. 

“How can the poorer countries develop and survive? It is like they are just there to be used by these three countries. They act like, ‘if you want to play us, this is what you have to do. If you want us to visit you, this is what we have to do’.”

Asked what could be done, he said: “It’s about sharing the wealth. Other countries who cannot command huge gate receipts and the television revenue, they should have a fair share of the ICC funds so they can develop their countries.”

Death of a Gentleman, which is being distributed by Camden-based Dartmouth Films, was created by journalists Sam Collins and Jarrod Kimber, who started out making a nostalgia trip about Test cricket being usurped by the explosive Twenty-20 format – but stumbled across something bigger. 

They have warned against dismissing the threat as a “taboo subject”. Collins said: “I spend a lot of time on the phone to cricket journalists convincing them that this is an issue – if they do not think it is an issue, then we have a serious problem.”

See www.changecricket.com to find out more.