First time ever that fans around the world can watch every ball of every game from a Women’s World Cup with Spidercam to be used for the first time at Lord’s and in international women’s cricket coverage
The International Cricket Council today substantially increased the prize money for the ICC Women’s World Cup 2017 to $2 million and unveiled unprecedented broadcast plans for the tournament as part of its long term ambition to bring parity to the women’s game.
The ICC Board unanimously backed the move as it committed to accelerate the global development of women’s cricket. It signaled its intent to move towards equality across the game within 15 years and a blueprint for growth and sustainability will be launched later this year.
ICC Chief Executive David Richardson: “The ICC Women’s World Cup is the pinnacle of the women’s game and as such the players should be rewarded appropriately. Two million dollars is the first step towards greater parity and recognition. The prize fund for the 2013 edition was just $200,000, and this announcement shows a greater level of commitment than ever before.
“The change will not happen overnight but the women’s game is crucial to the global growth of cricket. There is undoubtedly an audience for it – there were almost 18 million views of highlights of the Women’s World Cup Qualifier earlier this year – and we need to grow that further. There is greater depth in the women’s game and that is leading to increased competitiveness which is what fans want to see.
It was a memorable day of Test cricket at the Kensington Oval, but for West Indies, it was a cruel finish. After all, West Indies - led by a resolute 90 from Shai Hope that lasted over five hours - made Pakistan's bowlers graft and toil for the majority of the day, but the defining period will be five minutes of chaos that saw his side lose three wickets in eight balls for one run. It might yet lose them a game they have grated their way back into on more than one occasion, but with the lead already 183 with one wicket in hand, the Test is still alive. Yasir Shah claimed another six-wicket haul to lead Pakistan's fightback in the final hour.
With West Indies leading by 154 runs with six wickets still in hand, thoughts may already have been turning to an early declaration on the final day. But all of a sudden, Hope sought to cover drive a flighted Yasir delivery through the air, perfectly picking out Azhar Ali at cover. The next ball saw Vishaul Singh, the other set batsman, drag an inswinging delivery from Mohammad Abbas onto his stumps. Six deliveries on, Jason Holder poked at one from Yasir, and even as the light eroded, Younis Khan was never going to drop that.
There was still enough time for West Indies' last recognised batsman - Shane Dowrich - to edge one that ballooned up for an easy catch to second slip. Yasir dismissed Alzarri Joseph soon after to take his innings tally to six, and West Indies' hard work crumbled.
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) – West Indies were facing a daunting penultimate day of the second Test against Pakistan today, after Azhar Ali struck his 13th Test hundred to put the visitors on top in the decisive contest at Kensington Oval. Facing a deficit of 81 runs after Pakistan piled up 393 in their first innings, the Caribbean side
finished yesterday’s third day on 40 for one – still requiring a further 41 runs to make the Pakistanis bat again.
They suffered a blow in the 14 overs they were left to navigate at the end when left-hander Kieran Powell was brilliantly caught off the in-side edge by wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed, off the enterprising seamer Mohammad Abbas in the second over of the innings. But novice left-hander Shimron Hetmyer, searching for his first score of note after failing in each of his three Test innings to date, stroked a breezy, unbeaten 22 off 34 balls to hold off the Pakistan attack.
Showing little signs of nerves, the 20-year-old pulled Abbas to the ropes at mid-wicket for his first scoring shot and then straight-drove seamer Mohammad Amir and cover-drove leg-spinner Shadab Khan, to account for three of his four boundaries. He was partnered by opener Kraigg Brathwaite who was unbeaten on eight from 46 deliveries. Earlier, Azhar scored 105 to help Pakistan consolidate their overnight position of 172 for three, as West Indies struggled in the morning session and were forced to go wicket-less.
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) – Three wickets in the final session helped West Indies claw their way back after three earlier blemishes had put Pakistan firmly in control of the second Test at Kensington Oval here yesterday. Replying to West Indies’ first innings of 312 all out, Pakistan finished the second day of the pivotal contest on 172 for three – 140 runs adrift of the lead.
Prolific opener Azhar Ali was already in sight of triple figures unbeaten on 81 and was partnered by captain Misbah-ul-Haq on seven. Right-handed opener Ahmed Shehzad lived a charmed life for his 70, benefiting from three chances before becoming one of two wickets to fall to leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo who finished with two for 53. The Caribbean side had earlier squandered the opportunity to build a sizeable first innings lead when they lost their last four wickets for 26 runs to be dismissed for 312, 65 minutes before lunch.
Disappointingly, neither overnight batsmen – century-maker Roston Chase nor captain Jason Holder – managed to add to their scores, falling within the first nine balls of the morning. Holder, unbeaten on 58 at the start, perished to the day’s third delivery when he edged one from seamer Mohammad Abbas and was caught by wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed. Six balls later in the following over, Chase edged left-arm seamer Mohammad Amir low to Younis Khan at second slip, to depart for 131.
Suddenly it's shades of 1977 in Australian cricket. The players' association has rejected the financial deal proposed by the board and there is uncertainty surrounding the next television-rights deal.
A similar formula in 1977 resulted in the advent of World Series Cricket. The players were agitating for better pay and conditions and Kerry Packer - the owner of the Nine network - was apoplectic when the Australian Cricket Board (ACB) refused his offer of substantially more money for the television rights, then held by the ABC network.
Packer didn't take rebuttal lightly and with his curse, "the devil take the hindmost", ringing in their ears, he commenced a torrid legal battle with the cricket administrators. He found plenty of willing allies among the players, and worldwide more than 50 signed to play for the television magnate.
The animosity towards the administrators had been building among the Australian players since the tours of India and South Africa in 1969-70. In 1974-75, Dennis Lillee - the premier fast bowler - had just returned after a serious back injury and described his displeasure at the pay scale (A$200 per Test), in a series of newspaper articles.
