ICC rejects Lanka charge of altering playing conditions
By Our Correspondent
Tuesday, March 4 2003 12:11 Hrs (IST)

Bangalore: The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Monday dismissed claims made by the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka (BCCSL), that it had altered the playing conditions of the tournament in relation to separating teams level on points at the end of the Group stage, according to an official ICC press release.

ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed said that the ICC sought at all times to apply the playing conditions fairly and evenly to all teams.

"The claims made in a letter from the BCCSL today are without foundation and entirely rejected. The ICC at all times seeks to apply the playing conditions without fear or favour and has done so in this case," Speed said.

ICC general manager-cricket David Richardson last week wrote to all teams confirming that in the event of a tie between more than two teams at the end of the Group stage, the teams would be split first on the basis of their record against other teams with which they are level and, subsequently if still equal, on the basis of net run rate.

In a reply to the BCCSL's letter, Mr Speed, strongly rejected the claim that Richardson's advice sought to amend the playing conditions.

Speed highlighted the fact that the BCCSL had not been able to find any support for this contention from either the event technical committee or through an independent Appeals Commissioner.

"The BCCSL has sought a ruling on this playing condition from the event technical committee and has also appealed this ruling to an independent Appeals Commissioner," Speed said.

"The BCCSL was unable to find any support for its view in either forum. It is clear that the advice issued by the ICC last week is an entirely consistent clarification of the playing conditions for the tournament," he stated.

"Indeed, this playing condition is exactly the same as that used in the previous ICC Cricket World Cup in England in 1999."

Speed also dealt with the BCCSL's concerns regarding additional penalties that may have been imposed on a team that decided to forfeit a match.

"There is no provision in the playing conditions to impose a penalty in terms of net run rate for a team that forfeits a match," he said.

"During the ICC executive board teleconference dealing with New Zealand's forfeit of its match in Kenya, no country sought to alter the playing conditions to include this type of penalty," Speed claimed.

"ICC management does not have the authority or desire to unilaterally alter the tournament's playing conditions and has imposed the appropriate points penalty available and specified in the tournament regulations," he added.

Extras:
ICC commissioner rejects Lanka's plea on interpretation