ACB rules out charity match

The Australian Cricket Board has ruled out chances of a charity cricket match between India and Australia to raise funds for the quake victims of Gujarat, but said it would find another alternative which could "genuinely assist" the affected people.

ACB public relations manager Brendan McClements told reporters in Sydney, "We would find a way that we can genuinely assist... we would like to help."

He said the ACB and the Australian Cricketers' Association are exploring various ways and examining proposals from a range of international charity organisations on how the Aussies, who reach India on February 14, can help the victims.

The ACB statement has thus scotched earlier reports of the possibility of an additional match between the two teams.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India had on Wednesday received a proposal for organising an additional one-dayer, the proceeds of which would have been donated for the quake relief fund.

There was speculation that Steve Waugh, long-time support- er of an Indian charity, would not be averse to a noble cause.

In wake of the quake, the tour-opener scheduled for February 17, to be played in Baroda, has been moved to Nagpur.

McClements said the move ensured the Australians would not encounter quake-affected areas.

He said the ACB said it is not worried about the health and safety of its players while on the Indian tour as ACA chief executive Tim May had inspected all venues for the series and was satisfied with the level of comfort and security for the team.

Mail Cricket Editor