The International Cricket Council has expressed "anger and disappointment" at FICA executive chairman Paul Marsh's allegations that no action had been taken for "six weeks" by the ICC on the issue of vote of player representatives.
The ICC stated that senior executives and leading board members of cricket's governing body had met with Ian Smith on June 25 in London where it was mutually agreed that "major progress" had been made to resolve and perceived deficiencies in in the ICC Cricket Committee election system.
"At the end of the meeting, we were close to reaching an outcome that was acceptable to the players and their representatives," the ICC said in a statement.
ICC termed Marsh's statement "a breach of trust" as he had issued a press release without reverting to the world body.
"Sadly, within no more than 48 hours of those constructive talks - without reverting to the ICC, FICA's executive chairman chose to issue an emotive press release, which we believe was a breach of trust of the processes and protocols agreed at the London discussions," it said.
Terming the approach against the interests of the game, the ICC said, "We also believe that this confrontational approach is not in the best interests of the game or the players worldwide, who perform so admirably in all formats."
"These actions do not reflect the spirit in which ICC and, we believed, FICA entered into what appeared to be meaningful and productive dialogue nor reflect a willingness to work together to provide a satisfactory conclusion to this issue," it said.
"ICC are angry and disappointed that Mr Marsh chose to notify ICC of this change of direction only at 1.31am UK time on Thursday and then issued their misleading statement at 4.30am on the same day – when all Board members and executives, in London for ICC Annual conference, were asleep," it added.
Marsh had alleged in a statement that there was "no action for six weeks" on the FICA complaint about the vote for players representatives on the ICC Cricket Committee.
Photograph: Reuters
