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ICC rejects call for Dalmiya's ouster

International Cricket Council Chief Executive David Richards, in an official media release, rejected criticism of the functioning of the ICC and of Jagmohan Dalmiya's leadership of the world body.

"One of Mr Dalmiya's main achievements has been persuading the countries of the need for a united international response to the allegations of match fixing," the release said.

"In January countries established the ICC Code of Conduct Commission. Its role is to oversee and co-ordinate the investigation by member countries. The ACB recently conducted a thorough investigation arising from the Waugh/Warne allegations, while the Pakistan Government judicial enquiry is nearing completion. Both enquiries will be reviewed by the Commission. The terms of reference for the ICC Code of Conduct Commission were announced in January and the composition of the panel will be finalised by the end of April."

"During Mr Dalmiya's term of office a new corporate structure of ICC has seen countries directly involved in the decision making process of International cricket."

"Mr Dalmiya masterminded the commercial success of the 1998 Wills International Cup, which has generated significant funds for the ambitious ICC development program to globalise the game," Richards concluded.

Wisden editor Mathew Engel, in the latest edition of the magazine, had criticised Dalmiya for not having taken action despite being aware of the Warne-Waugh imbroglio "for four years". Both Warne and Waugh, it will be recalled, had admitted taking money from an Indian bookmaker for providing information about the pitch and weather conditons, during a tour of India four years ago. They had then confessed to the Australian board, which imposed a fine on both players, then informed the ICC with a request that it be kept secret.

Alleging that Dalmiya, after "almost splitting the cricketing world' in making his bid for the presidency of the global body, had provided no leadership whatever, Engel demanded that the ICC president resign -- a demand Richards has, on behalf of the ICC, now officially rejected.

In making that scathing attack on Dalmiya, though, Engel just may have over-reached himself. Dalmiya took over as ICC president only two years ago. At the time of the Waugh-Warne flirtation with the bookies, it was Clyde Walcott of the West Indies who was chairing the global body, and as such, if anyone was guilty of ignoring the affair, it was Walcott.

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