BCCI-backed revamp faces opposition

NEW DELHI: Finally, someone begins to stand up to the BCCI. A much-needed opposition to the controversial proposal for the governance and financial revamp of the International Cricket Council drafted by the Indian, English and Australian boards took shape with a group of influential former cricket administrators writing to the ICC to immediately reject the plan.

Former ICC president Ehsan Mani - who drafted a strong counter analysis of the proposal, one which, if passed, would result in the Big Three getting a lion's share of increased projected revenue at the cost of developing nations - was joined on Sunday by former West Indies captain Clive Lloyd and ex-ICC and Australia top honchos Malcolm Gray and Malcolm Speed of Australia.

Former Pakistan cricket chiefs Shahryar Khan and Lt Gen (retd) Tauqir Zia were the other signatories. Crucially, the two Aussies joined ranks defying Cricket Australia's official stand to align with the proposal first mooted by India with the CA and England and Wales Cricket Board willingly jumping onboard.

They appealed to the custodians of world cricket asking the withdrawal of the controversial Finance and Commerce Affairs Commerical Rights Working Group Position Paper. The proposal is due to be voted on by the ICC's Executive Board in the Jan 28-29, Dubai meeting.

The move has found support from Ali Bacher, former head of cricket in South Africa, who dashed off a Jan 26 mail to Alan Issac, ICC president, warning how the move the proposed move "if accepted would lead to division and strife in world cricket as never seen before."

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Shweta Pandey

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