FICA disappointed with Srinivasan elevation, NZC backs him

Melbourne: The Federation of International Cricketers Association (FICA) today said it was disappointed with N Srinivasan`s appointment to the post of ICC Chairman even as New Zealand Cricket Director Martin Snedden backed the controversial Indian administrator`s elevation to the top job.

FICA`s outgoing President Paul Marsh said the world body should have waited for the allegations surrounding Srinivasan to be resolved before making him chairman of its board. "We`ve seen in recent days significant changes at ICC level, which represent a new era in terms of the administration and leadership of world cricket," Marsh said. "FICA`s position on this is well known. Our strong preference was for the controversy involving Mr Srinivasan in India to be resolved before the ICC made a decision on the chairmanship. "While it`s disappointing that this did not occur, we can`t let this distract FICA from its responsibility of helping shape cricket`s future." Srinivasan was formally anointed ICC Chairman after the world body`s council agreed to a contentious revamp of the administrative structure which vested executive decision-making authority with India, England and Australia. However, Srinivasan found support from Snedden, who said allegations against Srinivasan have to be proved first. "(They are) allegations that we know nothing about made by people that are highly incentivised to get rid Srinivasan," he told `New Zealand Radio`. "The (Indian Supreme) court has said that they`re untested and no inference is to be taken from the fact that they`ve asked for them to be investigated. "But in three or four months time, that investigation will be complete, the results will be given to the court, they`ll be made public. If, at that point, there is a problem, then the ICC can deal with it then." Snedden also felt that there was nothing wrong in handing more power to the `Big Three` of international cricket. "Having India inside the camp is a huge about-turn from where it`s been throughout the time I`ve been involved in the ICC," he said. "India`s been an outlier, they`ve caused all sorts of havoc and uncertainty from time to time and it`s made it extremely difficult for other countries -- New Zealand`s been on the receiving end of that, so have a number of other countries. "As a result of what these (big three) countries have done, yes, they`ve used their collective advantage in some ways, but at the same time, what they are doing is providing the overall international cricket community with a lot more certainty," he added. Meanwhile, the Australian media reacted sharply to Srinivasan`s appointment with newspapers here saying that the move is a fresh attack on cricket`s credibility. "Even if, as Srinivasan says, he is proven to have done nothing wrong, the fact that other members of the ICC endorsed him for the chairmanship hardly inspires confidence in their collective desire to stamp out corruption from the sport," wrote The Age newspaper. "Srinivasan`s very presence at the Melbourne conference as the ICC`s newly inaugurated chairman was a fresh attack on cricket`s credibility."