BCCI headed for confrontation with ECB

The England and Wales Cricket Board will decide on Monday whether to accede to the Board of Control for Cricket in India's demand of playing an extra one-day international when the team returns to India after a Christmas and New Year break.

The BCCI wants England to play six matches instead of five as is scheduled to compensate for the extra Test that India is scheduled to play on their return tour to England next year.

India has also asked England to play five Test matches when they come for their next tour in the winter of 2004-05.

ECB Chief Executive Tim Lamb on Thursday said "it would not be possible" to agree to the Indian demand since the England team had a very busy schedule next year.

After "hectic and lengthy discussions" with BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmiya and secretary Niranjan Shah, Lamb is now ready to give his feedback to the ECB management board which will meet in London on Monday to take a final decision on the issue.

Maintaining that matches should be played on a basis of reciprocity, India has threatened to play only three Tests on the return tour, the same number that England will play on their ongoing tour.

However, the ECB insists that India must fulfill its commitment of playing four Tests as has been agreed to earlier.

"The controversy has arisen because India are not ready to honour the written agreement that was given by the previous BCCI secretary [Jaywant Lele], that the team would play four Tests in England," Lamb said.

"We have proceeded on that basis and it would be very difficult to curtail the tour to three Test matches. The TV sponsorship deals have been finalised, tickets have been sold and the schedule has been published.

"I have been trying to get the views of all concerned on this matter which I will forward to the management board. I also had fairly intensive discussions with the players and they are not keen on playing an extra match here as they have to proceed to New Zealand immediately after this tour to play five one-day internationals with them," Lamb said.

However, BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah said India is justified in demanding an extra one-day international.

"The ICC's 10-year calendar was prepared way back and things have changed a lot since then. India have a very hectic schedule and we can play an extra match only if the opposition is also ready to oblige us," Shah said.

He said BCCI had given its proposal to Lamb and it is now for the ECB to decide on the issue. He, however, was hopeful that a compromise would be worked out.

"That's what we are looking for. Playing the sixth match is the compromise," Shah said.

Mail Cricket Editor