Be fair to India, Dalmiya tells ICC

DURBAN, South Africa, March 20 AFP - India's cricket supremo Jagmohan Dalmiya called today for the International Cricket Council (ICC) to be even-handed in the way it enforced financial penalties.

India were told before the World Cup they would be having a portion of their proceeds witheld following the players' decision to alter the terms of their tournament contracts.

But Dalmiya, speaking to reporters during India's day-night World Cup semi-final against Kenya at Kingsmead, said the ICC would also have to be equally firm with England and New Zealand who forfeited World Cup matches in Zimbabwe and Kenya respectively and so risked potential financial penalties.

"This has got to be sorted out. We can't go on like this," said Dalmiya ahead of a two-day ICC executive board meeting in Johannesburg starting on Friday.

"But what applies to one must apply to all," added Dalmiya, president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and formerly president of the ICC.

However, Dalmiya did not appear too concerned by the prospect of any action being taken by the world governing body against India. "The money is in the reserve bank of cricket.

"I've had a little experience of the ICC. The ICC can't claim for money against us if no one claims against the ICC."