I've got to say that ICC 2009 looks like a step in the right direction. The gameplay improvements have been necessary for a while now, especially in the Twenty20 format, and this bodes very well for the franchise. I'm particularly eager to find out what sort of changes have been made to the transfer system (as has been hinted in the press releases, I presume), which I felt had been rather wobbly (and quite bland, almost seeming colourless) in previous editions.
Various changes have occurred of late to cricket's transfer structure in real life, such as the 28-day approach, scouting for players, enticing contracted players to sign (as is being seen in the current saga involving Steve Davies), enticing players to sign Kolpak deals and conversely enticing Kolpak players to return to the international scene. I'm not too plussed on the lack of new playable leagues; however, I do hope to see it implemented in future versions, as it would only help the franchise scale new heights.