Cricket: Snedden satisfied with World Cup promise for 2015

New Zealand Cricket have taken some consolation after losing their joint bid with Australia to host the 2011 World Cup with confirmation that the 2015 event will be held in Oceania.

The International Cricket Council executive committee in Dubai has awarded the hosting rights to a joint bid from India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

The Asian bid won by 10 votes to three.

As a result of the vote, the ICC have awarded the 2015 World Cup to runners-up Australia and New Zealand, with England staging the 2019 competition.

The decision will need to be ratified by the ICC annual conference in July.

"I think realistically we always knew Asia had the numbers," NZC chief executive Martin Snedden told Radio Sport.

"We put together a really good bid and were just hoping we could claw away at one or two and create a deadlock, and who knows what could have happened, but it wasn't to be."

The Asian bid had been weakened by a late submission, the four countries having been granted an extension to April 21 to present their case to the ICC after failing to meet the first deadline in March.

"We always knew England would support our bid, but it was a question whether any of the others would. But they didn't," Snedden said. Despite the setback, he felt he could still leave Dubai feeling satisfied.

"We've got the World Cup for 2015 and I think that it's something to celebrate. It's a bit hard when it's nine years away but it's still fantastic and as that comes closer everyone in New Zealand will get excited about it."

India cricket board secretary Niranjan Shahhe said of the 51 games to be played in the 2011 tournament, 22 would be in India, 14 in Pakistan, nine in Sri Lanka and six in Bangladesh.

"We are yet to decide on who will host the semifinals and final matches," he said.

Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland said it was disappointing to miss out on the 2011 Cup.

"But I am pleased that the highly professional bid we made, which complied with a long list of strict criteria and which was supported by Governments, venues and others such as our member state cricket associations, has demonstrated to the ICC that Australasia will host a world-class tournament in 2015."

The ICC also confirmed the future tours programme for the next six years.

The programme was put in jeopardy last year when power house India threatened to withdraw and choose their own opponents.

The redrafted programme will see New Zealand host Sri Lanka for three tests and five one-dayers in December in place of Bangladesh.

Snedden said: "In terms of solidifying our future, we've gone a long way."

- NZPA, REUTERS