ICC rejects BCCI request to replace Denness

The International Cricket Council on Wednesday night outrightly rejected the ultimatum of Board of Control for Cricket in India for the sacking of Mike Denness, the match-referee for the third and final Test between India and South Africa starting on Friday.

This sets the stage for a confrontation that could jeopardise the remaining part of India's tour of South Africa.

Backing Denness, who has provoked a stormy reaction by his excessive action against Sachin Tendulkar and five other Indian players two days ago, the ICC said in a statement that it could not agree to the request of the BCCI to appoint another match-referee for the Test that starts at Centurion Park in Johannesburg.

Turning down the demand of the BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmiya that alternatively the decisions of Denness be kept in abeyance and reviewed by a panel, the cricket's governing body made it clear that there was no right of appeal to a match-referee's decisions.

The ICC statement issued in London sets the stage for a confrontation between it and the BCCI, which is under pressure to withdraw its team now in South Africa.

The Indian players were reluctant to take the field on the final day of the second Test against South Africa at Port Elizabeth on Tuesday, but were persuaded by Dalmiya to play.

The two-page statement said that Denness, a former England captain, had been appointed the match-referee for the entire India-South Africa Test series with the consent of the cricket boards of India and South Africa.

"Given that the ICC is satisfied that all procedures have been adhered to, we cannot agree to this request," ICC Chief Executive said in the statement.

"Mike Denness is a former Test captain and a very experienced match-referee. During his time (of) refereeing Test and one-day international matches his record has been one of fairness and consistency. On the previous nine occasions where he has acted as referee for a match involving India, no Indian player/s have been reported or penalised," the statement said.

It said there was a clearly defined process for appointing match-referees for a Test series, which has been in place for the last ten years.

"It is clearly understood by all the ICC member boards that there is no right of appeal against the decision of a match-referee. It has never been seriously suggested by any board that there should be such a right," the statement said, adding that when contacted in September this year, neither India nor South Africa had any objection whatsoever to Denness' appointment.

The statement said ICC was under the process of drafting a new code in respect of both offences and set penalties, which will be adopted on April 1 next year, the same date on which the new panels of umpires and referees take charge.

"The ICC is concerned about standards of on-field behaviour of players and has asked umpires and referees to take a stronger stance in respect of charging offending players and imposing appropriate penalties. This initiative has the strong support of all members of the ICC Executive Board," the statement quoted ICC president Malcolm Gray as saying.

"If any member country of the ICC is concerned about the processes that have been in place for many years, the proper way of dealing with this is to raise it as an issue at the next meeting of the Executive Board," Gray said.

Meanwhile, the BCCI said it would decide the next course of action on Thursday following the ICC rejection of its demand

"We are yet to receive a direct response from ICC. Only after getting that will I discuss it with my other board colleagues and take a final decision about our next course of action," Dalmiya said immediately after the announcement of ICC's outright rejection.

Related Reports:
ICC wants written request from BCCI
ICC promises to look into BCCI demand

Mail Cricket Editor