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| May 28, 2003 | Wednesday | Rabi-ul-Awwal 25,1424 |
Customs stump Test trophy
MELBOURNE, May 27: Australia’s cricketers beat the world’s best to claim the ICC Test Championship trophy — only to be stumped on home ground by customs officials.
When the $85,000 mace arrived at Melbourne airport it was impounded by customs officials who immediately went on the front foot, demanding the Australian Cricket Board (ACB) pay import duty plus 10 per cent GST, a combined bill of more than $9000.
Later, their stance softened to a guarantee the money would be refunded when the trophy next left Australia. Given the current form of Australia’s rampaging Test side, that could be years away, so the ACB batted back with a successful campaign to have all taxes waived.
After five days of phone calls and letters between the ACB, the customs department and courier service DHL, a deal was struck permitting the trophy to enter Australia without being taxed.
A loophole was found in the Customs Act, but only after cricket officials confirmed they had no intention of selling the trophy.
Australia’s convoluted customs laws allow individuals to bring in trophies but, for some mysterious reason known only to the customs department, team trophies are considered a different proposition.
The ACB had to ask the International Cricket Council to supply documentation confirming Australia was the official owner of the Test trophy.
Normally such trophies arrive in Australia with the winning team and customs officials don’t have the hide to ask national captain Steve Waugh to open his cheque book and sign a five-figure tax payment on arrival.
But the trophy came from South Africa where the Proteas had held it since Christmas after dethroning Australia as the leading Test nation.
Australia reclaimed the trophy after beating the West Indies in the Caribbean earlier this month.
Customs officials asked the ACB to produce invoices proving the trophy had been to Australia before and had recently been taken to South Africa, but the ACB said it had been taken as hand luggage and no receipts were available.
The trophy is likely to be presented to the victorious Australian side in Darwin before start of their two-Test series against Bangladesh in July.—PPI
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