Cricket South Africa profits from Ireland trip

Gerald Majola hopes to fill the coffers of Cricket South Africa © Cricinfo Ltd

The South African board's earnings from the television rights for the three ODIs against India in Ireland is expected to be higher than the combined income it will receive from the home series against New Zealand and West Indies later this year.

CSA had faced criticism for sending the national team to play India in Ireland, as many felt it denied the side a rest ahead of a busy international schedule.

Gerald Majola, the chief executive officer of Cricket South Africa (CSA), also confirmed that monetary gain was the main reason why South Africa wanted to host the inaugural Twenty20 World Championship.

Speaking at an information session about CSA's strategic plans for the next four years at Newlands, Majola said: "Our major income source is international television money. Last season, when India toured here, we had a fantastic year. This year, however, things will not be as good.

"It is my duty as CEO to find a way to increase our income during the lean years. That is why we fought so hard to be appointed as the hosts for the first Twenty20 World Cup tournament."

According to Majola, CSA had earned 140 million rand (approximately $20 million) from the sales of television rights during the past financial year and indicated that it would receive only 18 million rand (approximately $2.5 million) in the coming financial year.

Majola revealed that South Africa and India were negotiating about an annual ODI competition, which could be named the Mandela-Gandhi series. He conceded that it would be difficult to slot in the series in an already packed calendar. "The Indians are already outside the International Cricket Council's guidelines for the international calendar. We'll just have to see".

Majola admitted that most countries would like to play against India often because of the money generated by matches involving the nation with the world's richest cricket board.