CALCUTTA, 30 September 2004 — Ranbir Mahendra was elected president of India’s national cricket board after edging out a powerful federal minister at an acrimonious election yesterday.
Mahendra, a former secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), and Sharad Pawar were tied 15-all before outgoing President Jagmohan Dalmiya used his casting vote in favor of his candidate after two interruptions.
Dalmiya, a former International Cricket Council (ICC) president, is still expected to retain control after he was named as the board’s first Patron-in-Chief earlier this month. If the move is ratified at an ongoing annual meeting, it will give Dalmiya the authority to remain India’s representative at the ICC and handle the wealthy board’s commercial interests.
Indian Cricket Board Seeks
Police Advice
India’s cricket board has asked the New Delhi police if they intend to question or arrest two South African cricketers over match-fixing allegations during an upcoming tour, a senior officer said yesterday.
New Delhi Police Commissioner K.K. Paul said he had received such a request from the Board of Control for Cricket in India but had yet to respond before South Africa’s arrival here in November.
“We have received the letter and are examining it,” said Paul, who in 2000 charged then-South African skipper Hansie Cronje and teammates Herschelle Gibbs, Nicky Boje, Pietr Strydom and Henry Williams with fixing One-Day matches during a tour of India in March that year. Media reports have suggested South Africa may call off the two-Test tour of India in the absence of assurances from New Delhi police. Officials close to the investigations say that only a court can waive police questioning or the possible detention of Boje and Gibbs, who are expected to be in the touring squad.
Zimbabwe Racism Hearing Ends Early After Row
The first day of an International Cricket Council (ICC) hearing in Harare on racism in Zimbabwean cricket ended abruptly yesterday when the Zimbabwe Cricket Union (ZCU) did not accept a ruling barring some of its officials from being present when witnesses testify.
The three-day closed hearing first stalled when Chris Venturas, the lawyer representing the 15 rebel players who have alleged the ZCU is racist, objected to the presence of ZCU officials who have been implicated in the players’ allegations.
Two ZCU board members, Ozias Bvute and Max Ebrahim, and the chairman of the provincial Mashonaland Cricket Association, Tavengwa Mkuhlani, were present at the hearing.
According to witnesses Venturas sought to have the three men excluded after Norman Arendse, the ZCU’s lawyer, made an inflammatory comment to the first witness while the witness was giving testimony.
ICC Waiting for British Response
A decision on shifting the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) headquarters to Dubai will be made only after studying a proposal from the British government, the governing body’s president said yesterday.
“We have had a very good offer from Dubai, but we are waiting for a final proposal from the British government which will come in the next few days,” Ehsan Mani said after signing an agreement with the Dubai Sports City to host the ICC’s Global Cricket Academy.
“As you know we have been based at Lord’s since 1909 and it’s only right that we don’t get up and leave a country that has hosted us for 95 years without giving it an opportunity to come forward with a proposal.
The ICC has offices in London and Monaco. Mani had said in May it was looking to move its headquarters because of lack of space and the increasing cost of running an office in London.
Kenyan Selectors Drop Top Players
for Qualifier
Kenya’s cricket selectors have omitted the country’s leading players from the squad to face Namibia in the International Cricket Council Intercontinental Cup qualifying match starting tomorrow following a row about contracts.
Most of the senior players, led by their former captain Steve Tikolo, refused to attend training on Tuesday and yesterday as a result of the dispute.
Subsequently Tikolo and eight other players who did duty for Kenya in the ICC Champions Trophy in England were dropped from the provisional team of 15 selected late yesterday.
“We have to go by the players we have been given to select,” the Kenya Cricket Association chief selector Harilal Shah said.
