da pinnacle： The Referees’ Commission obviously has the full supportof the ICC, and Gray added that after having consulted extensively withthe BCCI, ultimately without agreement, the ICC felt that it was timefor progress and action
Partab Ramchand03-Feb-2002If current trends are any indication, there is not going to be a speedyresolution of the continuing conflict between the International CricketCouncil (ICC) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).Every step taken by either of the two bodies smacks of freshconfrontation. One fears that matters could very well snowball againinto a fresh crisis that could engulf the cricketing world, for the pathbeing taken by both the ICC and BCCI is rocky – and loaded withcontroversy.
The Referees’ Commission obviously has the full supportof the ICC, and Gray added that after having consulted extensively withthe BCCI, ultimately without agreement, the ICC felt that it was timefor progress and action. The Referees’ Commission will meet in SouthAfrica on February 23.
The latest move on the part of the ICC – to proceed with the Referees’Commission in the aftermath of the Mike Denness affair despite theBCCI’s decision to refrain from participating in any form or manner isbound to draw a sharp response from Jagmohan Dalmiya. The BCCI presidenthas been at loggerheads with the world body on one aspect or another onthe controversy, and it surely is only a matter of time before he comesout with an uncompromising statement that can only add fuel to the fire.The ICC’s decision has been confirmed by its chief Malcolm Gray afterthe governing body for the game declined the latest proposal of the BCCIto either put the commission on hold until after the ICC Executive Boardmeeting in March or to enlarge the size of the panel from three to 10people.Gray made the ICC’s stand clear in his statement. “The RefereesCommission was a central part of the agreement between the ICC and theBCCI to save the India – England Test match at Mohali in December.Having agreed to this detailed and costly process, the ICC is extremelydisappointed that the BCCI will not accept the invitation to express itsstrong views on these issues to the Commission.”According to Gray, following the refusal of the BCCI to participate inthe Commission, one alternative open to the ICC was to disband theCommission altogether. But, as he pointed out, there were a number ofimportant issues that required immediate resolution. “After carefulconsideration, we have rejected that course and decided that theCommission should be convened and deliver its findings to the ExecutiveBoard, as agreed with the BCCI. The ICC made a commitment to BCCI andthe public to investigate these matters, and we are obliged to meet thatcommitment,” Gray added by way of explanation.The Referees’ Commission obviously has the full support of the ICC, andGray added that after having consulted extensively with the BCCI,ultimately without agreement, the ICC felt that it was time for progressand action. The Referees’ Commission will meet in South Africa onFebruary 23.It will be interesting now to watch for the BCCI’s next move. KnowingDalmiya, it is likely to be controversial and confrontational. Allthrough the crisis, the former ICC chief has adopted a hard line. He hasrepeatedly made it clear that he was not going to come down from theuncompromising stance he adopted at the start of the controversy inNovember last year after Denness, a former England captain, took a hardline against six Indian players, including icon Sachin Tendulkar.Dalmiya has enjoyed considerable support in India as a result of histough stance on the issue, even as he has received brickbats fromabroad. With Dalmiya clearly having no intention of stepping down fromhis tough stance on the issue, there is every chance that thecontroversy is far from over.ndeed, another unhappy chapter in the worldof cricket is almost certain to unfold.