ECB or ICC? - islands face massive decision

GUERNSEY could resign from the England and Wales Cricket Board and post its colours with the International Cricket Council. If they do - and a decision must be made by 31 December - the island's top players could be playing regular international cricket at several age levels within a short time and, ultimately, could be challenging for a place at the World Cup itself, through qualification via the ICC Trophy.

Jersey faces a similar decision and should either one or both of the islands sign up with the ICC, the existing Channel Islands Cricket Board, which receives funding from the England and Wales Cricket Board, will probably cease to exist.

Mick Fooks, chairman of the CICB, yesterday confirmed that big decisions needed to be made and soon, but there was need for care.

'We have to be careful that we don't intefere with the exciting development plans we already have in place.

'The catalyst to this came when it became clear that we could no longer play in the County 38s,' he added.

As a member of the CICB Guernsey's Dave Piesing has been the driving force behind the possible ICC venture. He has delved deeply into the benefits of joining and said that no time can be wasted in making the decision.

'The sky's the limit,' said Piesing, who advocates the switch but admits that there are possible financial dangers ahead.

Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man, which are also on the verge of joining the ICC, stand to increase their funding markedly if and when they become associate members of the ICC.

But on entry to ICC all three islands will be classed as affiliate members, which carries no funding.

ICC have indicated that associate membership is likely at a future date, but nothing and no time scale can be guaranteed.

And here lies the danger facing Guernsey and Jersey.

To join the ICC, they will gave to quit the England and Wales Cricket Board and lose around £45,000 of annual funding, shared by the islands.

Until such time as Guernsey and Jersey gain associate membership and a share of the ICC cash cow, the two islands will have to bridge the monetary gap created by the loss of ECB funding.

The CICB's annual meeting is at the end of November and Piesing said that between now and then the two islands had to decide what they were going to do.

'We are still awaiting extra information from the ICC,' said Piesing.

'The critical thing for both islands is funding and how long we have to be affiliate members before moving to associate membership.'

Piesing does not rule out Guernsey or Jersey going their separate way on the issue.

But the benefits of ICC associate membership are very exciting for both islands.

Guernsey will receive upwards of £20,000 this year, which includes the salary of part-time development officer Mike Kinder, but as an ICC associate the figure would leap alarmingly.

'We could look to be quadrupling that and we could do a lot with that amount of money - it's mind-boggling,' said Piesing.

Associate members, of which there are currently 26, receive anywhere from £60,000 to £100,000 per annum as their share of the World Cup profits.

But, significantly, it is those associate members who welcome in or veto new ones.

When they consider new applications those 27 member countries will make their judgment knowing their existing 1/27th of the pie will become 1/28th with a newcomer. It would be 1/30th if Guernsey, Jersey and Isle of Man all got entry.

'That is a factor the other associate members will have to consider,' admitted Piesing.

CI enquiries with the ICC have indicated that the Channel Islands would eventually get associate membership. The big question is when?

Piesing is adamant that Guernsey's cricketing future is brighter taking the ICC route.

'I believe the medium-to-long term decision is to go with the ICC.

'We have satisfied the ICC on constitutional matters,' added Piesing, a long-time supporter of the international route as opposed to the national one with the ECB.

'We joined the ECB for two reasons - funding and the ECB County 38s.