Cricket: World XI set to become a fixture

Sri Lankan Chaminda Vaas is welcomed at Christchurch Airport by a mascot from the International Antarctic Centre. Picture / Simon Baker

It began life as a rescue operation, but the FICA World XI is poised to become a regular part of the international calendar.

In fact, if all goes well, the side who square off against New Zealand in the first one-dayer at Christchurch tomorrow will be the forerunners for a type of FICA Globetrotters; a team who tour the world dispensing their own particular version of cricket-aid.

Tomorrow's combined side, a mixture of the awesome, the axed and the exiled, still carries enough reputation to fascinate cricket supporters, and has sown a seed for the future in terms of world players' association body FICA.

Already the plan is to reconvene the World XI in the upcoming months and to send it to Sri Lanka to assist with the reconstruction of the Galle International Stadium, which was devastated by the Boxing Day tsunami.

World XI organiser and New Zealand Players' Association executive manager Heath Mills said yesterday that approaches had been made to the Sri Lankans about a World XI fundraiser, and that the response was positive.

Mills, who worked with FICA boss Tim May and England players' association chief Richard Bevan to put together the World XI squad to play New Zealand, said it was hoped a combined side could play in Sri Lanka within a few months.

"It's already been discussed with their cricket players' association and they're very keen on it.

"Once we get through this series against the Black Caps we'll be able to approach them formally and take it to the next level," said Mills.

"The Galle International Stadium was ruined and I know that all the players are very keen to do what they can to assist the Sri Lankans in their rebuilding exercise over the next six months."

And he confirmed that this summer's development was likely to be the tip of the iceberg for the World XI concept, as organisers had quickly recognised its ability to capture the imagination and prove successful.

A regular FICA World XI would not only provide a fundraising potential for worthy causes, but could also assist cricketers in the game's developing nations by providing strong competition in a touring environment, said Mills.

"Many of these countries don't have strong domestic competitions, so FICA may have a role in putting together a team of immediate past players and other extremely competitive internationals, and embarking on month-long tours.

"A FICA XI may provide the sort of hard cricket that many teams need to take the next step up."

The initiative was an expensive one, but Mills said the idea of a sort of World Wanderers XI had fired up the public imagination, to the extent that he was confident FICA would be able to find adequate commercial backing.

The team to play New Zealand tomorrow are sponsored by Brit Insurance, who also made a sizeable donation towards the relief appeal.

"People have really seen what FICA can offer the game, which is quite different in terms of the World XI concept, and I would anticipate that we would get a lot of support in those venture," Mills said.

Possibly the most satisfying offshoot of the development for FICA had been the change in public sentiment as the organisation pitched in for the huge charity game at Melbourne, and then battled to bring cricket back to New Zealanders after the abandoned Sri Lankan tour.

Mills said he was pleased that the cricketing world was starting to recognise the real benefits of having players organised into their own groups.

"It's good that the public has seen this good faith," he said.

"We're only a new organisation, but we work with NZC [New Zealand Cricket] on a daily basis and I'd describe our relationship as very strong.

"I think this FICA team has given everyone the chance to see what the players can give to the game, and how they can assist with development."

Mills said that should the proposal to take a World XI to Sri Lanka "fly", he was sure some New Zealand players would be considered.