LONDON, Nov 18: India captain Saurav Ganguly has been cleared to play in the first Test against South Africa starting Saturday after the International Cricket Council (ICC) said it would not be determining his appeal against a two-Test ban until after a Nov 25 teleconference.

Ganguly was given the unprecedented ban by ICC match referee Clive Lloyd following India's slow over-rate during the six-wicket defeat by Pakistan in a one-day international at Eden Gardens, Calcutta, earlier this month. But when Ganguly announced his appeal against the ban it was always questionable if the ICC would conclude proceedings before the start of the first Test in Kanpur.

In such circumstances the ICC's own Code of Conduct clearly allows for cricketers to continue playing while their case is heard and a statement issued by the global governing body here Thursday said Ganguly was "free to take his place in the first Test against South Africa".

The statement added: "Earlier today (Thursday), appeals commissioner Tim Castle advised the ICC that the earliest time for the teleconference was on the morning of the first Test, Nov 20, 2004.

"After considering the implications of having this type of discussion on the morning of a game, Mr Castle elected to schedule to teleconference for the earliest possible time after the scheduled finish of the game rather than disrupting the Indian teams preparations.

"All parties consented to delaying the matter until after the scheduled finish of the game.

"Once this decision was taken, ICC chief executive, Malcolm Speed, ruled that in accordance with the ICC's code of conduct that as the appeal will not be determined before the game, Mr Ganguly is free to take his place in the First Test."

In a letter written to Ganguly on Thursday the ICC said Castle had still to receive video tape of the Pakistan innings - vital evidence in determining whether the India captain had presided over a slow over-rate - after it left the organisation's Lord's offices here Monday.

This, as well as Castle's decision to hold a teleconference with the parties involved, led the ICC to conclude it could not hold Ganguly's appeal before the first Test.

"It is impractical for this teleconference to take place on the morning of a match when the outcome may have been that the captain of one of the teams is unable to take his place in the side," Speed said.

"With the consent of the parties involved, Mr Castle has elected to have this matter dealt with at the earliest opportunity after the scheduled finish of the game and this is a decision that the ICC supports," the Australian added.

"The ICC Code of Conduct clearly sets out that in these circumstances, the player is free to play and the ICC has advised both Mr Ganguly and the Board of Control of Cricket in India of my decision."-AFP