The ICC has released details of the forthcoming ICC Trophy tournament to be held in Toronto, Canada from the 28th June to 17th July 2001.
The event is a passport to the next World Cup, with three of the 24 ICC Associate member countries competing in the tournament gaining automatic entry to the 2003 World Cup in South Africa. These will include both finalists and the winner of the qualifying final.
Tournament Structure
Countries have been ranked and will be split into two divisions, one to 12, 13 to 24, and there will be two rounds of matches. At the end of the second stage a league will be formed based on the combined points achieved from previous fixtures. Teams in first and second place contest the final, while third and fourth play in the World Cup qualifying final. Both finalists and the winner of the qualifier go forward to the 2003 World Cup.
The finals and a number of other round matches will be played at the Toronto Cricket Club. Other venues will include the Ajax, Malton, Maple Leaf C.C, G Ross Lord, and Sunnybrook grounds, all of which are within the Greater Metro Toronto area and within a 60-minute drive of the city centre.
ICC Associates competing in the Trophy are: Argentina, Bermuda, Canada, Denmark, East & Central Africa (Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia), Fiji, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Holland, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Malaysia, Namibia, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Scotland, Singapore, United Arab Emirates, Uganda, USA and the West Africa Conference (Gambia, Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone).
The Tournament has been organised on behalf of the host country by outstanding volunteers and sub-committees of the Canadian Cricket Association, with management and financial support from the ICC. The on site event manager will be Clive Hitchcock, the ICC's cricket operations manager.
Teams are scheduled to arrive directly in Toronto, Ontario on June 24th. Practices for teams have been approved by the ICC and will take place on June 25th and 26th in the Greater Toronto area. Hotel accommodation has been finalized, as has space for the Tournament Secretariat and for functions.
We are indeed fortunate to still have the option of being able to host this event in Canada. Because of financial shortfalls due to the cancellation of the Sahara Cup events in 1999 and in 2000, ICC's guidance and support has been invaluable in moving us forward. As in previous Tournaments, Teams eliminated from the Tournament leave for home immediately after.
The ICC and CCA again reconfirm that some previously discussed pre-tournament options can unfortunately, no longer be scheduled and they have been deleted as impossible. Costs alone ensure that this will be the last ICC Trophy Tournament of this type. The CCA heartily thanks the ICC for their herculean efforts to find practical solutions. Canadian cricket looks forward to this event and to future ICC Events. Welcome to Toronto, Canada!