Some of PNG's cricketers with Kumar Sangakkara and Muttiah Muralitharan © Cricket PNG

Some of Papua New Guinea, Japan and Fiji’s most promising cricketers have had the chance to rub shoulders with the likes of Muttiah Muralitharan and Kumar Sangakkara at a training camp in Brisbane.

The cricketers were taking part in the ICC’s East Asia Pacific High Performance Squad camp at the Cricket Australia Centre of Excellence, the same facilities being used by Sri Lanka’s one-day squad as they prepare for their upcoming series against Australia.

“Murali and I both bowl offspinners so the opportunity to watch this absolute legend in the nets was amazing,” said Barramundi bowler Jason Kila. “He was constantly harassing and attacking the batsman. He plays with absolute confidence.”

“Getting the opportunity to train with world class facilities and world class coaches is exceptionally important for all of our boys,” added Peter Moide, PNG’s fitness coach.

“All of our players are facing a big six months of cricket, whether that be on Brian Bell Scholarship in Australia, heading to World Cricket League Division Three as a Barramundi, or beginning World Cup Qualification as an Under-19 Garramut and this camp will hold them in good stead.”

Associate 1 Full Member 0: A sight we might not see again after 2011 ... Irish players celebrate beating Bangladesh at the 2007 World Cup with a victory lap © Getty Images

The recent announcement of a restructuring of the bloated international calendar by the ICC was an opportunity to restore sanity to the world game. Instead, all it has confirmed is that the battle within the ICC between the money men and those with a genuine interest in the world game is over. As expected, the bean counters have won.

The 2015 World Cup will have 10 teams, and while ICC officials say that no final decision has been taken on how these teams will be selected and that there might be still be a chance for Associate members to participate through a qualifying tournament, there is little likelihood of this materialising.

The working party that made the recommendations was made up of David Collier (England), James Sutherland (Australia) and N Srinivasan (India) with no Associate representation, and only David Richardson of the ICC there as anyone remotely independent. With a sub-committee like that it's no wonder this decision was reached.

The headline news regards the World Cup, a distended tournament, which, lest we forget, was brought to its knees in the Caribbean in 2007 largely as a consequence of the ICC's dreadful management. Instead of tackling the root causes of the malaise the ICC simply culled four of the six Associates to ensure there could be no repeat of the commercial disaster that came from India's early exit.

In 2015 the ICC will go a step further and remove the Associates altogether. While fans might have hoped this will mean a leaner event, the depressing news is it won't. The reality is that the number of matches will come down by one, from 49 to 48. But there will be more cheer for the commercial arm of the ICC because there will be more games involving the lucrative teams.

In a bid to deflect flak, the ICC claims no decision has been made about the structure of the 2015 World Cup, offering a flickering hope of a qualifying tournament that might allow Associates to win through to the finals. Sadly this just won't happen. It appears a stalling exercise to assuage critics until the dust has settled.

When I raised qualification involving Full Members as a possible suggestion a few years ago, at the time Zimbabwe cricket was imploding, I was told by a senior ICC official it would never happen. The reasons, he said, were two-fold.

Firstly, the Full Members would never agree to a structure that could result in them missing out. In a straight qualifying competition involving countries at the bottom of the ODI table, at least three Full Members could quite realistically be beaten by leading Associates and so miss out on the World Cup. While financially the ICC would ensure they would not lose money - for example, India's and Zimbabwe's earnings from the 2007 competition were massively more than Ireland's, though the first two made early exits and Ireland made the Super Eights - the implications for sponsorship and local exposure would be considerable.

While it seems a ludicrous suggestion at the moment, India were as recently as 2005 eighth in the ICC's ODI rankings. It is possible that by 2015 a major country could again be out of form and risk getting sucked into a qualifying event.

Given pressure from within the ICC as well as from media partners, who signed a colossal TV rights deal, led to a restructuring of the 2011 competition, neither would be willing to accept anything that might, however remotely, risk the commercial appeal of the World Cup, especially in the massive subcontinental market.

So for all the rhetoric about expanding the game - and to be fair here, there are many within the ICC who genuinely believe in this vision - a glass ceiling has been lowered into place, which ensures Associates will probably not be able to play again at a full World Cup.

In defence of the ICC, six Associates, as was the case in 2007, was too many. While Ireland made the headlines, others, including Kenya and the dismal Bermudans, were totally outclassed. A qualifying system between the top Associates and the worst Full Members would be fairer and would have also ensured the competition could genuinely be called a World Cup.

The two small pluses are that the emergence of Twenty20 means the Twenty20 World Cup, generously expanded to 16 teams, will give Associates a chance to bloody a few noses every couple of years. But the top Associates have not welcomed this, as it all but ensures their remote chances of attaining Test status, which could only come through impressive performances in 50-over games, disappeared. The other gain is that the unloved Champions Trophy might be consigned to the dustbin.

The only way Associates might return is if those controlling the finances stop pretending and just state that certain countries - probably no more than three or four - have to play in any tournament, leaving the rest to scrap among themselves for the other places. At least it would be more honest than the situation we have at the moment.

The Associates have been fighting a battle for recognition they were never likely to win. For all the pretence of the ICC being a democratic organisation, most people know the game is now run by three countries who are hellbent on keeping an increasing share of the pot between themselves. However much they might claim to have the interests of cricket at heart, the revamping of the World Cup has exposed that as a sham.

Gibraltar should go into next month's ICC World Cricket League Division Eight tournament in Kuwait match fit, with a visit from the Marylebone Cricket Club the culmination of their preparations. The matches against the MCC follow a series against an Isle of Man team and several training camps held earlier this month.

Christian Rocca, the Gibraltar captain, said there has been an emphasis on fitness in the preparations. "We've held a number of training camps over the last few months - a lot of focus has been on the fitness/flexibility side and undoubtedly this is the fittest side to have represented Gibraltar abroad. This will hopefully stand us in good stead over a taxing week or so."

However, veteran offspinner Rex Purnell, fast bowler Steven Gonzales and mediumpacer Karan Ashwani are all unavailable for various reasons.

Gibraltar are in Group B and play their first match against Bahamas on November 6, then Germany on November 7 and lastly Zambia on November 9. The semi-finals are on November 11 and the final on November 12. The hosts Kuwait, Bhutan, Suriname and Vanuatu comprise Group A.

News that the ICC has approved a reduction in the number of teams at the 50-over World Cup and an enlarged World Twenty20 event has caused a predictable storm of protest from some quarters.

But the ICC has been vague about what a ten-country World Cup this means. It has not ruled out Associates taking part but as that would mean a qualifying event, it seems unlikely. But for now, we can only wait.

As some kind of sweetner, the World Twenty20 event will be expanded to 16 teams from the 2012 tournament. The success of smaller nations like Netherlands and Afghanistan in Twenty20 cricket prompted the expansion of the tournament, which will continue to have the women's event played alongside it.

What most people agree on is that the current World Cup is overly bloated. But will the ICC be forced by its more powerful members to ditch the concept that the tournament is genuinely open to all and just ensure the cosy club run by the Full Members becomes even cosier?

The Suva Capitals scored their first win in this season’s EPL with a 63-run victory over the Sigatoka Dunes in Nadi last Saturday. The win was sparked by a 75-run partnership between Inoke Cama and Colin Rika, while a quickfire 51 off 38 balls by Greg Browne sealed the winning total.

The Capitals batted first and after the loss of Tomasi Nawaciono in just the third over, Cama and Rika settled in for a sparkling batting partnership that threatened to take the game away from the Dunes. Their partnership featured some excellent cover drives and good running between the wickets in the face of an impressive opening spell from pace bowler Tukana Tavo (1 for 34).

They moved to 81 for 1 in the 15th over before the partnership was broken by Waisake Sivo in his first over as he trapped Rika in front for 23. He followed it up with the wicket of Rukesh Patel with the next ball to bring the Dunes back into the game.

When Cama (34) was run out after a mid-wicket mix up with Browne the Capitals had quickly slumped to 84 for 4. The wickets continued to tumble and when Anare Tuidraki was run out the Capitals found themselves with just one wicket in hand and the score on 137.

However, Browne combined with Metui Yalimaiwai to put on 37 for the last wicket to boost the team’s score to 174. While the young Yalimaiwai may not have scored many of those runs his ability to keep his wicket intact provided the Capitals with the opportunity to post a defendable total.

Tharinda Premasiri (2 for 14) and Gaurang Patel (2 for 38) were the best of the Dunes bowlers. In reply, the Dunes were well placed to chase the total as they quickly moved the score to 63 for 1 thanks to some patient batting by Tharinda Premasiri.

However, when Anare Tuidraki (3 for 32) produced a wicket with his first ball claiming Bruce Phillip the rot set in for the Dunes. There was no support for Premasiri and when he was dismissed by Viliame Yabaki (3 for 21) for 30 the Dunes’ chances of victory went with him.

A spectacular running catch on the boundary by Sakaraia Lomani that dismissed Ilikena Bula was the final straw for the Dunes and they succumbed shortly thereafter for 111. The result gives the Capitals their first win of the season while the Dunes remain winless after two rounds.

In Lautoka, the Lau Voyagers recorded a comfortable victory over a disappointing Western Bulldogs team. Batting first the Bulldogs were dismissed for a paltry 52 runs, with only Joe Rika (19) showing any resistance.

Joe Dabea claimed 3 for 11 from five overs, while legspinner Rajeev Patel was the best of the other bowlers taking 2 for 9. The Bulldogs chased down the total in just the ninth over thanks to opener Sekove Ravoka’s innings of 31.

The result leaves the Voyagers on top of the EPL ladder with two wins from two games, while the Bulldogs will have to regroup quickly if they are to be a real threat in this competition.

Zambia will hold a one-month training camp at home before heading off to United Arab Emirates (UAE) to play warm-up matches against a UAE development XI to build up to next month's World Cricket League Division Eight in Kuwait.

The Zambians, coached by former South African batsman Peter Kirsten, will play three games against the UAE XI where he hopes his side can put into practice what was covered during the Lusaka-based camp.

"We will be concentrating on specific 'one-on-one' drills and team-related match practices against local opposition. Much attention will be given to game plans, physical and mental sharpness, [with] the captain playing a vital leading role," Kirsten told ESPNcricinfo.

Kirsten was typically upbeat and believed his side would rise to the occasion of playing a team from another country. "The squad is well balanced, a good blend of youth and experience comprising medium-fast bowlers, spinners and batsmen," he said.

“The team is in confident frame of mind, very enthusiastic and is hungry for success. They will be playing against other countries for the first time, which is always a motivating factor. They have been a joy to coach and clearly have a passion for the game."

The timing of the World Cricket League Division Eight should suit Zambia, who are in Group B with Bahamas, Germany and Gibraltar. The Zambian season finishes at the end of October with their opening game, against Germany, on November 6. They then play Bahamas a day later and Gibraltar on November 9 before the semi-finals and classifications matches.

Group A consists of Suriname, Kuwait, Vanuatu and Bhutan.