NZ Cricket allays fears over future of game

Martin Snedden. Photo / Getty Images.

New Zealand Cricket is allaying fears over a lack of top opposition and financial losses under new proposals for a shake-up in the governance structure of world cricket.

There were fears nations other than the big three of India, England and Australia would suffer financial losses with a move away from the Future Tours programme seeing nations entering into bilateral arrangements.

The ICC met for six hours in Dubai overnight, where voting on the proposals was deferred.

New Zealand's representative on the board Martin Snedden has told the Crowd Goes Wild Breakfast reports of financial losses are inaccurate.

"Over the last eight years we have received about $2 million US from the ICC events programme, the deal that we're heading towards making now is going to see those revenues go up to maybe $70-100 million depending on the value of the rights sold.''

Concerns had also been raised over the implications for the smaller nations over the axing of the Future Tour Programme.

However Snedden says they aren't as significant as reports suggest.

"We're gonna end up here with a playing programme, an international cricket playing programme that looks pretty similar, and in many cases is exactly the same as what's previously been agreed.''

The board has agreed to replace the World Test Championship with the Champions Trophy, and establish the Executive Committee with five nations, including England, India and Australia.

The proposals will be put in front of the Board again next month.