ICC_CONSIDER_SL_APPEAL_29MAR1996

ICC To Consider Lanka's Appeal For New Body

by Sa`adi Thawfeeq

Call for panel to review cricket controversies

Sri Lanka have succeeded to the extent of convincing the ICC`s Cricket Council to form a panel to review cricketing controversies like ball tampering and chucking.

The Cricket Council which met on February 10 at Calcutta has recommended to the ICC for the formation of such a body. The final approval will be given at the annual meeting of the ICC at Lord`s in July.

The Cricket Council comprises past international cricketers from all Test-playing countries other than New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe. ICC chairman Sir Clyde Walcott, Sir Colin Cowdrey, Dr. Ali Bacher are some of the important people who form the committee.

"We made a plea and put up a paper to the Cricket Council who have now recommended it to the ICC. This was made possible because of the pressure we put on the ICC for the formation of such a panel at the height of the Muralitharan chucking controversy,`` said Sri Lanka Cricket Board president Ana Punchihewa.

Sri Lanka were at the receiving end of allegations of ball tampering (for which they were later exonerated by the ICC) and throwing, when their leading spinner Muthiah Muralitharan was called twice during the recent tour of Australia.

At the height of these controversies, Sri Lanka did not have anyone to turn to for help. The ICC could not take a decision on the ball tampering affair or on Muralitharan, despite the wealth of scientific and medical evidence that was made available to clear his suspected bowling action. The ICC said that it required the consensus of all member countries before taking any decisions.

As a result, the Sri Lanka Cricket Board had to get the services of a lawyer from London to clear the team of ball tampering charges.

"If we had a panel in operation we needn`t have gone to that extent. They would have heard evidence from both sides. It was a sequence of events in the case of ball tampering and in Muralitharan`s case,`` said Punchihewa.

The Sri Lanka Board president said winning the World Cup would also help their cause of setting up the special panel and gaining the necessary approval from ICC at Lord`s.

"We also have the support of 22 associate member countries who feel they are part of us. It gives them hope that they also have a chance of achieving what we have done in 15 years of attaining ICC Test status,`` said Punchihewa.

He cited that Malaysia have targeted the year 2020 to become a fully-fledged ICC member and that Kenya was on line to become one shortly, following their success in the Wills World Cup. There are also countries like UAE, Holland and Bangladesh who are vying for higher status.

"We`ll have to globalise the sport and we must also look at ways of going into China after unification in 1997,`` Punchihewa said.

Source:: Daily News (https://www.lanka.net)