Indian delegates for ICC meeting

Over the years, it has been customary for the Board of Control for Cricket in India to send two representatives to the annual ICC meeting at Lord's, generally held in June-July. Convention has it that the president and secretary attend the meeting. But then these days the game is very different from the days when De Mello and Vizzy attended the meetings in the forties and fifties. Those days, in less troubled times, the ICC meetings were more or less routine.

These days the meetings are full of strategy and counter strategy. Or one upmanship as it is called. A matter of survival really. And so it is not surprising that at the height of the match fixing controversy in which Indian cricket figures strongly, the BCCI is sending three high profile delegates to attend the forthcoming ICC meeting. The president, AC Muthiah, the secretary JY Lele and the treasurer KM Rungta will leave for London later this week.

Of course, while the match fixing scandal will no doubt figure prominently, the Indian trio will also have other items on their agenda. There are various sub committee meetings of the ICC and also the Asian Council meeting. Also, Lele is on the committee for finalising the tour programme for the next five years. But above all, the Indian trio will be trying to evolve a strategy as to how to corner South African cricket boss Ali Bacher at the meeting. Bacher on his part is an experienced administrator, even if he does have his hands full at the moment with his country figuring prominently in the match fixing episode. One thing is sure. Sparks are bound to fly.