With just a week to go for the International Cricket Council (ICC) Annual Conference in Colombo from July 19, the global body’s Head of Events Chris Tetley and General Manager of Marketing & Communication Claire Furlong have stepped down from their posts after a very chaotic conduct of the recently-concluded T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA.
It has been learnt that both Tetley and Furlong, who were closely involved in organising the T20 World Cup 2024, had submitted their resignations immediately after the conclusion of the marquee tournament and a week ahead of the conference, which would be held in Colombo and were associated with the conduct of the championship.
While ICC insiders maintained that the resignations are several months old, it has been learnt that the duo’s departure was fuelled by the chaotic conduct of the T20 World Cup, especially the USA leg of the tournament, where the half-cooked pitches raised serious question marks on the readiness of the venues for the big-ticket event.
The World Cup in the USA, particularly in New York, was a major project of the ICC and the two officials were closely involved in it. This is likely in relation with the scrutiny of the matches hosted at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York.
The pop-up Nassau Stadium that hosted eight of the 16 games allotted to the USA, was dismantled right after the conclusion of the T20 World Cup matches and came under sharp criticism. Many ICC members seemed to be raising the issue regarding the pitches at the ICC meeting.
The NY pitches were criticised for its variable bounce, which offered low-scoring matches. A key member of the ICC is said to have raised the issue through a letter to the members. The venue also hosted the high-profile India v Pakistan game, which saw Rohit Sharma’s men successfully defend a low total of 119.
After the India-Pakistan match, the ICC issued a statement on the nature of the tracks used at the Nassau County Stadium, stating that “the ICC recognise that the pitches used so far at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium have not played as consistently as we would have all wanted. The world-class grounds team have been working hard since the conclusion of yesterday’s game to remedy the situation and deliver the best possible surfaces for the remaining matches.”
The matter is now going to be discussed at length in Sri Lanka next week and a thorough investigation is likely to happen. More than the West Indies leg, the skyrocketing expenses and activities during the USA leg haven’t pleased many in the global body. Both Tetley and Furlong are expected to take part in the annual conference in Colombo.