UCBSA lends support to Indian stand

South African cricket authorities on Wednesday supported the Board of Control for Cricket in India's demand for removal of controversial match referee Mike Denness in an attempt to save the third and final Test, starting at Centurion Park on Saturday, even as India ruled out making any compromise on its position.

South Africa team manager Bronwyn Wilkinson said the United Cricket Board of South Africa will not mind supporting the appeal to have Denness removed if that is the "only option" left to persuade the Indian team to stay back and complete the tour.

Gerald Majola, CEO of the UCBSA, echoed his views on South African national radio, saying the board will do everything possible to "save" the third Test.

Majola had accompanied the Indian team from Port Elizabeth to Johannesburg.

Meanwhile, as the board awaits a response from the London-based International Cricket Council in wake of the harsh punishments meted out to six of its players, including Sachin Tendulkar, for alleged match offences in the just-concluded second Test at Port Elizabeth, BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah declared: "There is no question of making any compromise."

ICC Chief Executive Malcom Speed told Star News in Bombay that there is "very little" the Council can do but assured it will look "very hard" at the requests from the Indian board.

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Mail Cricket Editor