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New ICC chief calls for truce between member countries
London, June 20: The new head of the International Cricket Council (ICC) has called on its national board members to end their divisions for the good of the sport.
London, June 20: The new head of the International Cricket
Council (ICC) has called on its national board members to end their
divisions for the good of the sport.
Ehsan Mani, who has replaced Australian Malcolm Gray as ICC
president, said today: ''we are dependent on each other. Without
each other, cricket's spirit, its future and its traditions are
compromised.
''It is time to forge a stronger alliance that will help take the game forward''. Mani, who formerly represented Pakistan on the ICC , was giving his first speech as president at Lord's.
He said world cricket had to cope with various different cultures, traditions and identities split along Anglo-Saxon, Asian, African and Caribbean lines. Mani and ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed plan to visit each of the 10 full-member countries over the next few months.
World cricket has been blighted by several controversies and conflicts recently, including the refusal of several teams to travel to Pakistan over security fears. Pakistan, concerned about lost revenues, at one stage threatened a tit-for-tat boycott by Asian countries.
Many of the power battles have split the game along racial and regional lines.
Speed, however, warned that there could be further conflicts ahead between the ICC and member countries following this year's world cup.
The ICC faces compensation demands from broadcasters and sponsors after two cup games were forfeited by England and New Zealand because of security concerns, while India's players refused to sign over their personal sponsorship and image rights to the official tournament sponsors.
Speed said the ICC would contest the claims but, should it lose, the world body would pursue some of its members for part of the money.
Indian board president Jagmohan Dalmiya has made it clear that he will do everything he can to avoid paying any compensation, arguing that the ICC should foot the bill.
''It is always a difficult time for an organisation when it makes claims against it own members'', Speed added. Bureau Report
''It is time to forge a stronger alliance that will help take the game forward''. Mani, who formerly represented Pakistan on the ICC , was giving his first speech as president at Lord's.
He said world cricket had to cope with various different cultures, traditions and identities split along Anglo-Saxon, Asian, African and Caribbean lines. Mani and ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed plan to visit each of the 10 full-member countries over the next few months.
World cricket has been blighted by several controversies and conflicts recently, including the refusal of several teams to travel to Pakistan over security fears. Pakistan, concerned about lost revenues, at one stage threatened a tit-for-tat boycott by Asian countries.
Many of the power battles have split the game along racial and regional lines.
Speed, however, warned that there could be further conflicts ahead between the ICC and member countries following this year's world cup.
The ICC faces compensation demands from broadcasters and sponsors after two cup games were forfeited by England and New Zealand because of security concerns, while India's players refused to sign over their personal sponsorship and image rights to the official tournament sponsors.
Speed said the ICC would contest the claims but, should it lose, the world body would pursue some of its members for part of the money.
Indian board president Jagmohan Dalmiya has made it clear that he will do everything he can to avoid paying any compensation, arguing that the ICC should foot the bill.
''It is always a difficult time for an organisation when it makes claims against it own members'', Speed added. Bureau Report