Patrick Keane speaking (3 November 1998)

3 November 1998

Patrick Keane speaking

The Daily Star

The Wills International Cup is now a history. For years, the nine-day, nine-nation cricket carnival will be remembered as one of the most successful tournaments in the annals of the game. Bangladeshi spectators and readers have had the rare experience of enjoying the spill-thrill contest between all the Test-playing countries. But there was lot of stories that happened off the field and they could hardy know it. One of those is a reporter's daily ordeal in covering the mega event. The lack of synchronisation between the organiser, the International Cricket Council and the hosts, the Bangladesh Cricket Board, left local media in an awkward position to perform their professional duties during the tournament. Patrick Keane, an ICC executive, caused a commotion when he threatened to throw newsmen and lens-men out of the place had not they abided by his order. Keane took back his horns when The Daily Star Sport ran a story on his very objectionable and equally unacceptable remarks. The controversial Keane has also something to say for the Star Sport readers which we think is worth publishing. - Sports Editor

Some may know me as Patrick Ross, but my mother knows me as Patrick Keane.

I was employed by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for the Wills International Cup to run media conferences and other media matters for the ICC during this tournament in Bangladesh. It seems that many people have wondered about my methods and I'm happy to provide a brief explanation.

My full time job in Australia is with the Australian Cricket Board (ACB) as its Media Manager, responsible for all media matters relating to the Australian team and the ACB itself.

What I have tried to do in Bangladesh, particularly during media conferences after matches, is to ensure that all media are given the best opportunity to do their work at a conference while players are not involved in a crush at any stage.

As such, I made a conscious effort at all times to ensure that there is space around players so that all media (press and photographers) can have a clear view of the player who is speaking. I have not started any conferences until all tape recorders are present and, at all times, have tried to maintain a space around players.

Players do not wish to be smothered under a crowd while, also, a space around the player enables all media to do their job, rather than those select few who are lucky enough to be in the front.

I would prefer that all journalists be seated at a media conference but we have not managed to achieve that yet.

I am well aware that a number of photographers have been most unhappy in two areas - I have not allowed them on the ground during official team photographs and that I have kept a space between them and teams during training sessions.

In regard to the official photographs, the ICC had an exclusive contract with one sponsor and, as such, no other photographer was permitted on the ground. Exclusive contracts apply in other cricket countries and it was my job to ensure it was respected. As a compromise, I was happy for the teams to pose informally for photographers.

As for training sessions, a space was kept between photographers and players for two main reasons.

As a final point, some media should realise that many grounds in the world restrict the playing surface to the players only. By that, no other person, be they media or public, are allowed on the ground at any time at such places as Lord's, the Melbourne Cricket Ground and Port-of-Spain in Trinidad.

The protocols I have tried to institute here are based on what I have seen around the cricket world.

Some may not have realised this but I was a touring cricket journalist for Australian Associated Press (AAP) between 1987 and 1995, before taking my current job at the ACB.

During my years as a cricket writer, I was one of the 4-5 journalists who travel with the Australian team and covered every Test match played by the Australian team during 1989-95, including home series against the West Indies, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, England, India, New Zealand and South Africa. The tours I reported on numbered England (1989), India (1989), New Zealand (1990), West Indies (1991), Sri Lanka (1992), New Zealand (1993), England (1993), South Africa (1994) and Pakistan (1995).

After covering cricket matches in more than 12 countries and at 50 grounds across the world, I feel I'm pretty well qualified to comment on how the mediaworks in the cricket world. If my methods are different to those of Bangladesh, it is because I have tried to implement methods used by the rest of the world.

My intention has certainly not been to offend but, equally, my intention has been to act in the best interests of the players (as instructed by the ICC) and to ensure that as many media as possible can do their job effectively (as also instructed by the ICC).

As a summation, I've enjoyed my time here greatly and think that the BCB has done a tremendous job organising an extremely well-run-tournament.

Source :: The Bangladesh Daily Star (https://www.dailystarnews.com)