From Sunday, the mandarins of the cricket world will sit at the Lord’s cricket ground to deliberate on key issues facing the game, but the man in the hot seat will face a tough time.
Asian block to train its guns on the CEO of world cricket’s governing body
MUMBAI: From Sunday, the mandarins of the cricket world will sit at the Lord’s cricket ground to deliberate on key issues facing the game, but the man in the hot seat will face a tough time. Malcolm Speed, the chief executive officer of the ICC, will face the heat from representatives of the sub-continent.
Sources in the BCCI say the Asian bards are against the continuation of Speed as ICC’s CEO.
Although none of them was willing to come on record if they would press for a no-confidence motion against the Australian, they, however, didn’t hide their reservations against the ICC official who has been holding the key post of the world-governing body since July 2000.
“We want him changed,” one BCCI official told DNA, while claiming that he was also echoing the views of three Boards in Asia — Cricket Sri Lanka, Pakistan Cricket Board and Bangladesh Cricket Board. “We’re sure we don’t want to give him another extension. We want a CEO from Asia, or for that matter, anyone other than him,” the Indian Board official said. Speed, who succeeded fellow Australian David Richards, is contracted to the ICC up to June 2008.
When asked if the BCCI would move a no-confidence motion against Speed, BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah, who was once ‘misquoted’ on the issue in the Australian media, refused to say anything. “I don’t have any comment to make on this issue,” Shah said before leaving for London.
BCCI and Speed have not been on very cordial terms in recent times. It particularly came to the fore during the ICC Champions Trophy when both parties were locked in a war of words — ranging from issues like tickets for the VIP boxes, felicitation of Azharuddin among others.
Speed also came in for criticism by the BCCI before the controversial Members’ Participation Agreement was signed last year. At the ICC meet, the BCCI would train its guns on Speed for the way the World Cup final was conducted and the way the Zimbabwe issue has been handled.
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