What the ICC says about FTP

Dear Urvasi:

Please let me know if you can assist in forwarding to us a copy of the draft minutes of the ICC Board meetings which took place in India in November 2006.

We are seeking to confirm that part of the minutes which refer to the FTP.

Regards
Barry Thomas

Dear Barry,

It might be easier if you just told me what you are looking for and between us here at the office we can find out which meeting it was.

Thanks Vasi

Thomas responds:

Dear Urvasi:

Thanks for that note. We are looking for reference to the FTP and clarification on what the FTP is intended to comprise and represent. Our tour to England in the summer this year is referred to in the FTP as an "additional tour" but the question which has arisen in our discussions with the West Indies Players' Association is "additional to what".

We view the FTP as setting out the minimum programme of matches between Full Members and that there may be other bilateral series to which Full Members may engage in from time to time. The "additional" tours are viewed by WIPA as tours on which WICB is obligated to negotiate separate fees.

Our Memorandum of Understanding between WICB/WIPA refers to the Overseas Programme of Matches and not necessarily the FTP. We would like to demonstrate to WIPA that the Overseas Programme is the Schedule of Matches updated by ICC from time to time and which is published as the Updated FTP Version ......

We believe that the minutes of the ICC Executive Board meeting in July 2006 may have provided some clarification on the meaning/intention of the FTP published from time to time.

Please let us know if you can assist.

Regards
Barry Thomas

Naidoo's response:

Dear Barry,

I have discussed the matter in some detail with Clive. He informs me that the issue which you have raised is very similar to a query raised in January with regard to FTP commitments between the West Indies and India. I understand that at that time David wrote a detailed letter and I attach that again for ease of reference.

As David pointed out the basis of the original 10 year tour program was that each country would play each other country once at home and once away over each of two 5 year cycles consisting of a minimum 2 Tests and 3 ODI's. The original FTP implemented back in 2001 satisfied these requirements with the following pairs of tours:

1. England to WI 2003/4, WI to England 2004
2. England to WI 2008/9, WI to England 2010

The FTP was revised in 2006 with the cycle changing from 5 to 6 years commencing in May 2006. The first 6 year cycle retains the reciprocal tours from the previous FTP with England touring WI in 2008/9 and West Indies touring England in 2010.

The West Indies tour to England in 2007 is therefore an additional tour as it is over and above the FTP requirement. This tour would have been agreed between WICB and ECB in discussions prior to the implementation of the revised FTP last year and, as such, is included as part of the FTP as an additional tour.I am not sure that the minutes can help you much. But I attach the CEC paper and also the minutes from that meeting just for clarification.

I am sorry that I cannot find anything that can specifically address your discussions with WIPA.

Please advise if there is anything further I can do to assist.

Kind Regards,
Vasi

Thomas forwards Naidoo's reply to WICB CEO Bruce Aanensen and corporate secretary Tony Deyal with this note:

Bruce/Tony:

Please see the note below from Urvasi Naidoo below on the FTP. Please let us discuss and agree whether it is relevant in the context of our MOU and our understanding of the Overseas Programme referred to in Schedule D of the MOU.

Regards
Barry Thomas

Tony Deyal writes to Naidoo:

Ms. Naidoo

If I go to the ICC website and look for the FTP, what I get is a document with all the tours together. If what I pull up is not the FTP then what is? The ICC minutes when the FTP was set up includes this definition of the FTP:

"Future Tours Programme" means the programme of Test Match and ODI Match tours to take place between ICC full members during the period from May 2001 to April 2011 adopted by ICC at its board meeting in Kuala Lumpur in October 2001, which is contained in schedule 1 and as the same may be revised and updated from time to time as provided herein.

Since this programme includes all the matches then I would think that according to your definition and your actual practice i.e. naming the entire programme the "FTP" (as evidenced by the web-site), the FTP has to be what is on the site and what you send out as the programme.

The other part of the issue is what is the "Overseas Programme"? Is this the same as the FTP and, if so, which FTP. It seems to me that the ICC has not itself defined exactly what the FTP is or there is a huge gap between the definition and the understanding that you have. We have already encountered serious problems with the fact that the CWC regulations had more grey areas than black and white and the ICC, knowing this, refused to state specifically what was or was not allowed under the regulations.

I would appreciate your reviewing your previous response in light of the above.

Tony Deyal

ICC general manager David Richardson gets involved:

Dear Tony

I have noted your email to Urvasi Naidoo below dated 18th April.

As far as I can see the ICC regulations are very clear. The FTP is exactly as the web site says - the program which is attached to the FTP Regulation as updated/revised from time to time. It is quite clear therefore that the England Tour, although additional to the minimum requirements (and thus indicated as such), is part of the FTP. This is exactly what Urvasi has explained to you in her e-mail.

The grey area has come in due to the definition included in your agreement with the players which refers to an "overseas program". This is not an ICC definition and I am at a loss to explain how we can be expected to know what you intended thereby. I would be very happy for you to give me a call on +1876 82300442 if you would like to discuss further. Quite frankly I resent ICC being blamed for something which is not of our making.

Regards
David