ICC hopes for resumption of cricketing ties between all nations

Resumption of normal cricketing relations between all members of the International Cricket Council (ICC) has to be the governing body's aim, according to Malcolm Gray, the retiring ICC president.

There was no simple answer to the issue of safety and security, a factor which had been a major problem over the past 12 months, Gray said in the ICC annual report.

"Our members are drawn from a diverse range of cultures and we have seen that increased political tensions around the world create real and perceived security risks in some of the places where cricket is played."

Pakistan have been especially hard hit, with New Zealand's tour last year cancelled midway due to a bomb blast outside the team's hotel, while a tour by Australia was moved to Sri Lanka and Sharjah and a visit by India was cancelled.

"These concerns also affected the ICC Cricket World Cup 2003 with Kenya and Zimbabwe suffering following decisions by New Zealand and England respectively not to fulfil the fixtures scheduled in these countries."

As a result of the impact of these problems, the ICC would play an increasingly central role in addressing concerns by looking to work with the boards affected.

"The ICC role - in conjunction with the boards - is to explore every possible option to ensure the continuation of scheduled matches while ensuring that any risk to players and officials is properly identified and addressed. Despite international tensions I am confident the ICC will be able to lead cricket through this difficult time."

Malcolm Speed, chief executive of the ICC, said that the security problems had tested the ICC's authority and while the times were challenging the ICC would seek pragmatic solutions to the issues by working with the boards.

"The debate about the role of politics in sport will always be heated, divisive and impossible to resolve but the ICC's view is clear and has the force of logic.

"If the ICC took into account political consideration in deciding where matches should be played, few member countries would be immune from the risk that one or other country would refuse to play against it.

"The ICC has been required to make many hard decisions in order to implement the board's decisions. At times these have proved unpopular in some quarters but they have always been made without fear or favour."