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 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.

Regular updates from the ICC Trophy will be available from the event's media centre and posted on the ICC web site and the Canadian Cricket Association web site.

UK media contacts:
Mark Harrison
ICC Communications Manager
Tel: 020 7266 7913/1818
Email: mark.harrison@icc.cricket.org

Clive Hitchcock
ICC Cricket Operations Manager
Tel: 020 7266 7903

Canadian Cricket Association media contacts:
Dr Geoff Edwards
President, Canadian Cricket Association
Tel: 001 416 346 2234

© ICC