Cricket: Doig sure his plan will be approved

New Zealand Cricket chief executive Christopher Doig is confident that his 10-year test tour plan will be accepted by the International Cricket Council board.

Doig presented his model to the other chief executives in Kenya this week, and after some minor changes to include new test nation Bangladesh, it has been passed to the board for final approval.

Doig arrived home from Kenya enthusiastic that the sport is back on track after the recent match-fixing scandals.

"It was probably the best meeting I've been to," he said yesterday.

There was nothing new from the meeting, only confirmation that all international cricket players, umpires and officials will be asked to complete confidential declarations before the end of next month.

In the declarations, players and officials will be asked five questions, including whether they have ever taken part in or been approached to take part in "any arrangement with any other person involved in the playing or administration of the game of cricket which might involve corruption in any form."

New Zealand has already signed and returned its forms.

"There were no problems this end," Doig said.

He also pushed for a slackening of player eligibility laws at the chief executive officers' meeting, believing the four-year qualification period for non-test players was excessive. He wanted it reduced to two years, but met opposition from South Africa.

"I regard the four-year stand-down period as nonsensical, but I don't think we'll see any change in that area in the short term."

- NZPA