Cricket proud of International Olympic Committee recognition

The International Olympic Committee Session in Vancouver, Canada on Friday approved its Executive Board's decision to convert the 'provisional' recognition of the International Cricket Council to 'full recognition,' according to the President of the Gambia Cricket Association, Johnny Gomez.

He said Haroon Lorgat, the International Cricket Council Chief Executive, and council are extremely proud of the recognition given to cricket by the IOC which they always considered to be their first step in becoming a part of the Olympic family.

"At this stage no consideration or decision has been made regarding participation or applying for approval to participate in the Olympic Games," the ICC chief stated.

Cricket remains a major world sporting event in terms of participants, spectators and media interests.

The ICC has expanded its development programme with the goal of producing more national teams capable of competing at test level. Development efforts are focused on African and Asian nations, and on the United States. In 2004, the ICC International Cup brought first-class cricket to 12 nations, mostly for the first time.

In June 2001, the ICC introduced a "Test Championship Table" and in October 2002, a "One-day International Championship Table." Australia has consistently topped both these tables in the 2000s.

Cricket's newest innovation is Twenty (20), essentially an evening entertainment. It has so far enjoyed enormous popularity and has attracted large attendances at matches, as well as good TV audience ratings. The inaugural ICC Twenty (20) World Cup Tournament was held in 2007, with a follow-up event in 2009. The formation of Twenty (20) leagues in India - the unofficialIndian Cricket League, which started in 2007, and the official Indian Premier League, starting in 2008 - raised much speculation in the cricketing press about their effect on the future of cricket.