On 3000th ODI, Haroon Lorgat Talks Up Scope of ODIs

Haroon Lorgat took the occasion of the impending 3000th ODI to talk about the importance of the fifty over format and the ICC's expectations from it, suggesting that the ODIs were not on their last legs.

michael hussey against middlesex adam gilchrist

When Australia play England tomorrow in the first ODI of the series, it will mark the 3000th ODI in international cricket, India taking on Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup 2010 missing that story and becoming the 2999th ODI as a result of starting a tad earlier.

The ICC Chief Executive stated, "That game at the Melbourne Cricket Ground was arranged on very short notice after a Test match had been washed out and nobody was really sure what would happen," referring to the first ever ODI played in Melbourne on the 5th of January, 1971 between the traditional Ashes rivals.

He touched upon the fact that the ODIs, much like the Twenty20 game, showed it could be commercially exploited, "When around 46,000 people showed up to watch I think the organisers realised they were on to something big. Since that day it has been hugely successful and we have been treated to some of the great moments of cricket through ODIs."

Lorgat also stated that the ICC would encourage whatever initiatives that would enhance the game and keep it alive and kicking, "That first ODI nearly 40 years ago involved the bowling of 40 eight-ball overs per innings and the structure of the game has been constantly evolving ever since. Over the years various initiatives have been trialed and refined and we now have quite a different spectacle to the one that was first on show.

"Coloured clothing, white balls, fielding restrictions, bowling limitations, powerplays, free-hits and many other aspects of the game have all been introduced but the unmistakable and unshakable core skills required by batsmen, bowlers and fielders are still intact.

"And the broad appeal remains strong. ODIs still attract big crowds and enormous television viewing figures. The ODI series between England and Australia that gets underway tomorrow will be hugely well attended and the recent ODIs in Ireland and Scotland were also sell-outs."

He once again reiterated the ODIs' place in world cricket, while touching upon the ICC World Cup 2011, "As we prepare for the 10th staging of the ICC Cricket World Cup in Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka next year, the importance of this format to the game remains very high. I have no doubt the ODI will continue to adapt and evolve – in fact we always encourage our Members to trial new initiatives at domestic level to see if they work – and above all, I have no doubt the ODI will continue to strengthen long into the future."

Lorgat did not fail to touch upon the contributions of the players over the years in making the ODIs such a phenomenal success, "Centuries in World Cup finals by Clive Lloyd, Viv Richards, Aravinda de Silva, Ricky Ponting and Adam Gilchrist coupled with some amazing other individual performances throughout the history of the one-day game from players like Richard Hadlee, Javed Miandad, Herschelle Gibbs, Joel Garner, Muttiah Muralidaran and Graham Gooch have entertained generations of cricket fans all over the world."

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