Group Hug Required for Sports Lovers

Sports lovers with a like for integrity and appreciation of personal values may be in need of a hug and some reassurance after the last few weeks. The lack of credibility at the football World Cup reached the most depressing conclusion with the behaviour of the Argentinian players after the final. Just 48 hours before came Bryson De Chambeau’s petulance at The Open Championship.

It was cricket’s turn a few days before both, less publicly ugly no less nasty for its duplicitous stealth. The 2027 World Cup, proclaimed a 14-team event three years ago, was summarily cut to 12 with the introduction of a sarcastically named ‘Super Series’ which will see two of the teams ranked 12^th, 13^th and 14^th eliminated after playing only two matches between themselves.

It is a ruthless and short-sighted imposition of a more ‘lucrative’ format, brutal and heartless towards the players from Associate nations who committed themselves to an arduous, 30+ match qualification journey just months after the last World Cup ended in India in 2023.

Most galling amidst the ICC’s gutlessness, even more than the obvious breach of its own contract with its members, is the witless attempt to sugar-coat it: Having the bottom three teams play each other in, effectively, a sudden-death eliminator will lead to “…greater context, competitiveness and consequence during the event”.

Actually, it is only about money. The new format will increase the number of games played by the finalists from 11 to 13 and, by including a ‘lucky loser’ in the third round, they also maximise the chances of a second match in the tournament between India and Pakistan. And possibly a third in a semi-final. Remember, India and Pakistan and have been unapologetically scheduled in different groups since 1999, even when the world rankings – which other nations were bound by – indicated otherwise.

Nations like Scotland, Namibia and Ireland have ground their way through 36 ODIs across three and half years for the right to enter the main global qualification tournament, just to reach the World Cup. If they reach the main event, one bad day at the office could see them depart after just two matches.

The Netherlands’ Australian-born opener, Max O’Dowd, has been well quoted by now: “So, you’re telling me, associate sides have to play in a three-year 50-over tournament to qualify for a qualifier to qualify for another tri-series qualifier to then qualify for a World Cup”. If ever there was motivation to take up a ‘real career’, this is it.

There is precious little credibility remaining for the ‘small three’, but to ensure there is none – the third (and final) round of matches in the ‘Super Series’ will give those teams a profound advantage over the third team if, as seems likely, the solitary qualification place comes down to net run-rate.

The ‘Super Seven’ stage of the tournament will contain the top three teams from the two groups of six once the two minnows have been discarded. Why seven? Because Pakistan might not make it otherwise? All points earned in the group stage will be discarded before the Super Seven. All that work for nothing. Why? Because Pakistan might not have any?

India vs Pakistan might be the most lucrative international fixture in world sport, but is worth compromising the entire World Cup for it? Even FIFA schedule the final round of group matches simultaneously to make ‘goal difference’ more difficult to calculate. But in five of the last six ICC events, India were scheduled to play in the final round of matches against a ‘smaller’ team. Just in case they were relying on net run-rate to progress. In the last T20 World Cup, they played the final game in both group stages. It’s comically blatant, or would be if it weren’t so sad.

Eliminating the ‘carry-over’ points from group-stage to Super Sevens could backfire spectacularly. It was supposedly to minimise ‘no consequence’ matches. Yet if two of the top teams win their opening two or three matches in the Super Sevens it will, in fact, lead to more ‘dead’ fixtures, not less.

Perhaps it’s the result of five weeks staying in modest rooms during a dispiriting Test series between England and New Zealand, lowlighted by Ben Stokes’ grand-standing retirement and Harry Brook’s spectacular disregard for the value of the game. Followed by the historic (and highly enjoyable) inaugural Womens Test at Lord’s between England and India being undermined by the shambles of the men’s game. Maybe it’s only the drizzle and cold of the Cape winter. But I’m certainly in need of a reassuring hug.

There is the intriguing prospect of ‘new’ England’s Test series against Pakistan to look forward to. Could the recently ‘retired’ Adi Birrell really be England’s new Test coach? Or will it be Stephen Fleming with the continuation England’s commitment to the failure of their own system and infatuation with poaching the success of New Zealand’s?

Then, of course, comes the Proteas’ defence of their World Test Championship title with three Tests in October. Surely that’s a series which can’t be compromised. Surely. There will be no sandpaper…