CGF discuss cricket's return

Bruce Robertson: 'Strong possibility' cricket could be included

Also see

• Sky Sports experts
• Scores
• Sky Sports Twitter
• Fixtures/Results

Cricket could return to the Commonwealth Games programme in time for the 2018 event in Australia.

The issue was discussed by Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) in London this week, with vice-president Bruce Robertson claiming the sport could be trialled at the Commonwealth Youth Games in St Lucia in 2017, paving the way for it to also be included the following year in Australia.

Robertson told insidethegames: "Getting cricket on the programme at the Commonwealth Youth Games in St Lucia is a strong possibility because it is something that St Lucia has expressed they are very interested in doing.

"That is the first step to getting the sport into the Commonwealth Games.

Win-win

"Whether or not it gets on the programme in time for 2018 is largely up to the International Cricket Council and we are certainly hopeful that it is something they will try to make happen.

"I think it would be a great thing to help profile the sport in the Commonwealth and to encourage youth to get involved and we would obviously welcome the move.

"I think it is a win-win situation if we can get it."

Cricket did feature at the 1998 Games in Kuala Lumpur, and Gold Coast 2018 chairman Mark Stockwell is determined to bring it back in six years' time.

"We need to get assurances from the ICC they can fit it into their calendar and that we can have the best Twenty20 (cricketers) available," he said.