CAPE TOWN, March 16: The International Cricket Council (ICC) reached agreement on a new strategy for dealing with the contentious issue of match referees at the end of their executive board meeting Saturday.

The issue has caused major disharmony within the cricket world since ICC match referee Mike Denness took action against six Indians, including Sachin Tendulkar for ball tampering, during the second Test against South Africa in Port Elizabeth in November last year.

At the time, the sanctions meted out by Denness were greeted with dismay in India and the Indian cricket board demanded an inquiry.

Under the new resolution, the role of the match referee will be revised. In future, the onus will be on umpires to lay disciplinary charges, which will then be referred to referees to hold a hearing.

There will be a right of appeal against the decision of a referee for more serious disciplinary offences, with any appeal to be heard within seven days during which the player concerned will be allowed to continue playing.

For the first time, match referees will also be allowed to explain decisions to the media.

The ICC also said the actions of Denness would be reviewed by a committee led by the newly appointed chairman of the Code of Conduct Commission, Michael Beloff QC, and also comprising ICC directors Peter Chingoka of Zimbabwe, Bob Merriman of Australia and Wes Hall of the West Indies.

“This matter has been a major issue for the ICC and its members in the past five months,” said ICC president Malcolm Gray. “It is a significant achievement that a solution has been reached by all directors that is both business-like and practical.”

A new four-tier code of conduct disciplinary system was also agreed, with recommended maximum and minimum penalties. For example, a level one breach for dissent could be penalised by a minimum of a reprimand, with a maximum of a 50 percent match fee fine.

If repeated, the breach moves up to a level two offence, punishable by a full match fee fine and a one-Test or One-day International ban.

Players found guilty of levels three or four offences will face a minimum of a five-Test or 10 One-day International ban, with a life ban in the most extreme cases.—Reuters