Referees' commission to go ahead, say ICC

The International Cricket Council will go ahead with its referees' commission meeting in South Africa next month, with or without India's participation, the world governing body said on Wednesday.

ICC president Malcolm Gray said the ICC had declined the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) proposal to either put the commission on hold until after its executive board meeting in March, or alternatively, to enlarge the size of the panel to 10 from three people.

BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmiya said last week that if these alternatives were not acceptable to the ICC, then India would not attend the meeting.

The Indian board rejected the panel appointed by the ICC, with Dalmiya saying he had not been consulted but merely informed of the panel members.

"The referees' commission was a central part of the agreement between the ICC and the BCCI to save the India v England test in Mohali," said Gray.

"Having agreed to this detailed and costly process the ICC is extremely disappointed that the BCCI will not accept the invitation to express its strong views on these issues to the commission."

The ICC formed the commission as a compromise after a row with India threatened the unity of the game.

India had match referee Mike Denness of England sacked without the permission of the world governing body during their tour of South Africa last year. They were unhappy after he handed out bans to six of their players over their on-field conduct.

The ICC, feeling its authority threatened, responded by stripping the third match between South Africa and India of its test status.

The Mike Denness controversy

Mail Cricket Editor