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ICC, BCCI head for confrontation
Demand to sack Denness rejected

London, November 21
The International Cricket Council (ICC) tonight outrightly rejected the ultimatum of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for the sacking of Mike Denness, the match-referee for the third and final Test between India and South Africa starting on Friday, setting the stage for a confrontation that could jeopardise the remaining part of India’s tour of South Africa.

Backing Denness, who has provoked a stormy reaction by his excessive action against Sachin Tendulkar and five other Indian players two days ago, the ICC said in a statement that it could not agree to the request of the Indian board to appoint another match-referee for the Test.

Turning down the demand of the Indian Board President Jagmohan Dalmiya that alternatively the decisions of Denness be kept in abeyance and reviewed by a panel, the cricket’s governing body made it clear that there was no right of appeal to a match-referee’s decisions.

The ICC statement issued here late tonight sets the stage for a confrontation between the ICC and the BCCI which is under pressure to withdraw its team now in South Africa.

The two-page statement said that Denness, a former England captain, had been appointed the match-referee for the entire India-South Africa Test series with the consent of the cricket boards of India and South Africa.

It is not the first time Denness, a Scotsman, has fallen foul with an Indian cricket team. In the 1999 ICC Knockout Cup in Nairobi, he had hauled the entire Indian team for a hearing over their appeal against the Kenyan captain Maurice Odumbe. On that ocassion he had issued the Indians a “very, very stern warning”.

Earlier this year while officiating in the South Africa series in the Carribean, Denness wanted Brian Lara to be banned for using a bat carrying the logo of a sponsor which he did not think was manufacturing cricket bats. But once he was told the sponsors were indeed producing cricket bats, he withdrew from his stated position.

India’s stand to seek the removal of match referee Mike Denness for the third and final cricket Test against South Africa received a huge boost with the United Cricket Board of South Africa (UCBSA) announcing its support to the Indian stance.

Stressing it was absolutely vital that the Centurion Park Test, beginning on November 23, is not disrupted Bronwyn Wilkinson, the media manager of the UCBSA, said it would support virtually any action by India.

He said the UCBSA would not mind supporting the appeal to have match referee Mike Denness removed if that was the only option left to persuade the Indian team to stay back and complete the long tour.

The UCBSA position follows a day of top-level discussions after Denness’ decision to take disciplinary action against six Indian players, including a one-Test ban that would prevent Virender Sehwag taking part in the third Test.

“There is no question of making any compromise,” BCCI Secretary Niranjan Shah said in Mumbai.

Shah has rushed to Kolkata for urgent consultations with the board President Jagmohan Dalmiya.

The United Cricket Board of South Africa said in Johannesburg that it would do everything possible to save the third Test in Centurion Park which is in jeopardy following the controversial decision by Denness in the second Test.

“We have been talking to the ICC and the Indian cricket board chief Jagmohan Dalmiya about the demand by India that match referee Mike Denness be replaced,” said Gerald Majola, CEO, UCBSA on South Africa National Radio. The board would do everything possible to save the third Test, he said.

“I flew back to Johannesburg from Port Elizabeth with the Indian team and they are all keen to play in the third Test. So I hope the controversy surrounding the second Test will overcome as soon as possible,” Majola said and added that he would be in constant touch with the BCCI chief and the ICC to ensure that scheduled matches went on.

“We have a very good relationship with India and want the Test series to go ahead. The match is very crucial to South Africa and India. India played very well on the last day of the second Test and they want to win the third. South Africa also wants to play in order to win the series,” he said.

The punishment meted out to the Indian cricketers has received wide publicity in South Africa with newspapers publishing leading articles.

The South African media has indirectly accused Tendulkar of tampering with the ball. However, there is a strong feeling among cricket fans that a number of South African players, including captain Shaun Pollock, have overchirped and intimidated some of the Indian players but were not pulled up.

Meanwhile, Union Sports Minister Uma Bharti said in Kanpur on Wednesday that she had sought a report from the BCCI regarding the punishment of six Indian players but refused to elaborate further on the issue. Reuters, PTI

Ruling smacks of racism, feel MPs

New Delhi, November 21
Outraged Indians on Wednesday rallied around their cricketing team, currently touring South Africa, to slam as “racist and discriminatory” severe penalties imposed on six of its members there.

Angry cricketers, parliamentarians and the media joined millions of Indians here to demand that match referee Mike Denness, who imposed the heavy penalties on, among others, batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar, be immediately replaced.

Reacting furiously, most demanded that New Delhi intervene in the matter to ensure the penalties for alleged malpractices are withdrawn. Some even suggested that the tour be called off to protest against the “racist” bid.

Angry lawmakers said the penalties on Tendulkar, Indian captain Sourav Ganguly and four others “insulted the integrity of Indians”.

Two leaders of the BJP said they would move Parliament on Thursday to censure Denness.

“The penalties given to the Indian players are highly suspect as South African players indulge in similar misdemeanours all the time but escape punitive action,” BJP MP Madan Lal Khurana said here. “This is discriminatory.”

Said Mr Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, an MP of the Opposition RJD party: “Denness should be dismissed. We cannot tolerate this insult.” The penalties were vindictive as an Indian probe last year nailed former South African captain Hansie Cronje for match-fixing.

Agreeing, Shiv Sena’s Pritish Nandy said: “The whole thing smacks of revenge. We shouldn’t play with South Africa if they misbehave.”

“The penalties should be removed straightaway,” cricketer-turned-MP Kirti Azad said. “It’s racism and double standards. The government has bestowed them with top awards like Arjuna, Padma Shri and others. How can we take it lying down?”

Said Congress party MP Mani Shankar Aiyer: “That matters relating to sport can be decided on prejudice is a tragedy for South Africa which has only recently been able to come out of years of apartheid.”

Former coach Gurcharan Singh termed Denness’ verdict as “nonsense”. “Removing mud from the ball is not a sin. We coach bowlers on how to do that,” he said on the charge against Tendulkar. “The decision lacks common sense.”

Samir Parikh, a Delhi-based psychiatrist, a cricket fan, described the controversy as a form of racism.

“Only a severely mentally compromised person might be unable to understand what happened on the field, for almost any non-biased average intelligent man too, it was prejudice, or in simpler terms, racism,” he said. IANS