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| October 9, 2001 | Tuesday | Rajab 21, 1422 |
ICC may reschedule Pakistan Tests on neutral venues
LONDON, Oct 8: International Cricket Council (ICC) president Malcolm Gray admitted Monday that Pakistan’s home Test matches could have to be played on foreign soil following safety concerns arising from United States and British military action in neighbouring Afghanistan.
“Obviously the current situation is a huge problem,” Gray said at the launch of the ICC’s new logo at Lord’s Monday.
“Our hope is that it might be short and sharp and we can get over it quickly. But if the situation continues it will cause enormous problems logistically and financially for the game.”
New Zealand and Sri Lanka have already cancelled tours to Pakistan because of turmoil caused there by the terrorist incidents in the United States and the subsequent military response.
The ICC want to keep Pakistan playing international cricket and Gray said: “It’s possible their home matches could be played at independent venues if that becomes necessary.
“Nothing has been decided but it’s something we are looking closely at.
“A number of political situations are affecting the world of cricket. Ideally, all ICC members should be free to play against each other, unconstrained by events and decisions outside their control.
“In reality however, international cricket in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe is currently being affected by political decisions and horrific uncertainties.”
England are due to tour India next month but Gray said he was not expecting the ICC to have to alter the existing schedule.
“We are keeping a watching brief but at the moment any consideration of the matter would be triggered by England,” he said.
Earlier Monday England and Wales Cricket Board chief executive Tim Lamb said the tour will “definitely go ahead” barring huge change in the international political situation.
Both Gray and ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed earlier underlined their determination to impose tougher penalties for players on the field and continue to pursue match-fixers off it.
Disgraced former South Africa captain Hansie Cronje is currently challenging his life ban from cricket in the South African courts.
But Gray said that even if Cronje succeeded that would not be the end of the matter as far as world cricket was concerned.
“Our point of view is that a life ban means 20 years. Any change to that would have to be ratified by our code of conduct commission,” Gray explained.
He added that he wanted corruption out of world cricket within 12 months although his fellow Australian Speed was more cautious.
“Lord Condon (the head of the anti-corruption unit) has stated that we have successfully suppressed corruption. What he is unable to say at present is that we have defeated it. But we are determined to do so.”
Speed added he would be urging next week’s ICC executive board meeting in Kuala Lumpur to abolish suspended fines and sentences for players who showed dissent and went too far in verbally abusing their opponents.
“There are a lot of suspended sentences but very few suspensions. Too many match referees take the soft option. We seek to remove the limit on the referee’s ability to fine players — currently limited to 75 percent of the player’s match fee.
“We have asked the board to remove the limit on the period of suspension — currently limited to three Test matches or six One-day Internationals,” said Speed.
The former Australian Cricket Board chief executive also added that the ICC wanted to see an end to “personal and offensive” sledging.
Speed revealed that in a survey of Test captains seeking their thoughts on the future of the game one response had included a request for “lie detector tests every six months for leading players, administrators and officials.”
Turning to the game’s troubles with corruption and bribery Speed added that 250 million dollars was bet on every single one-day game.
He went on to explain that that there were now plans to introduce a one-day championship similar to that now in place for Tests.
“England are 3-0 up in their one-day series against Zimbabwe and we’d like a situation where the last two matches of that series count for something and we’ll be putting forward proposals for a rolling one-day championship.”
Speed also announced plans for an elite panel of eight umpires to control all Tests with a similarly exclusive squad of five match referees to oversee their work.
In future no Test will feature an umpire from one of the competing countries as happens at present.
Should the executive board agree to these proposals they are expected to come into force next April.—AFP
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