He called on other member nations of the International Cricket Council to ensure that solutions to issues around player retention for Test matches outside the “big three” nations be placed at the top of the agenda at the next meeting of the global body’s board.
Most significantly,Baird argued that CA,the Board of Control for Cricket in India and the England and Wales Cricket Board had to be prepared to dip into their own financial resources to help the likes of South Africa,New Zealand,the West Indies and Sri Lanka,now that it has become clear that bilateral touring arrangements are not sufficient alone.
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“If we’re in a position that national teams aren’t being prioritised,then we’ve got a lot of work to do,” Baird said.
“Ultimately,that might mean costs and consequences for the leading countries. There is undoubtedly an economic element.
“But there’s also a commonsense element in terms of the way we schedule and the way we collectively as members prioritise. So there is strong resolve,but we need to move,I think,at a much quicker pace.
“Work is under way,but our agenda needs to shift to bring this to the top. So whatever issues we are wrestling with,and there are multiple,whatever time we thought we had,we no longer have the luxury of sitting,considering and waiting.”