Cricket: ICC Shouldn't Let BCCI Run the Game: Oz Media


PTI 

SYDNEY, Jan 8: BCCI's threat to pull out of the ongoing tour is a 'veiled form of blackmail' and the ICC should not succumb to the Indian Board and let it usurp the governing body's role, the Australian media said on Tuesday.

Cricket writers here felt the Indian team's grievances against controversial umpire Steve Bucknor may be 'genuine' but their threat to pull out should be given the 'harsh response it deserves.'

"India's threat to boycott the Australian tour has come down to a battle of who runs cricket - India or the ICC," Robert Craddock wrote in 'The Daily Telegraph'.

"If the ICC buckles and overturns the Harbhajan verdict because of Indian pressure, it may as well shut its doors in Dubai and cease to exist," he said.

"If the ICC feels Harbhajan was worth suspending, it must not crumble in the face of a subcontinental blackmail from the world's most powerful cricket nation," it said.

He, however, sympathised with the Indian 'genuine' grievances against umpire Steve Bucknor, who has been replaced by New Zealand's Billy Bowden for the third Test in Perth.

"India want Steve Bucknor sacked from the next Test in Perth and so he should be. Every grievance India have against him is genuine."

"But India's suspension of the tour while they wait for an appeal on the suspension of Harbhajan Singh is a veiled form of blackmail and must be treated with the harsh response it deserves," he said.

"If the Harbhajan verdict stands - as it should - and India abandon the tour, then so be it. Their nation will be in disgrace, their team retreating as men who cowered in the face of substantial adversity," he said in a harsh comment.

  

Top Stories

Comment on this article

  • Melwyn Pereira, Mangalore/Sharjah

    Fri, Jan 11 2008

    True, ICC should not buckle under pressure from BCCI but can it afford to do so. India is not Pakistan. ICC cannot survive without the stature of India. Australians can dish-out a lot of flak and sarcasm on the field and when it came to receiving they backed out.

    I am in no way supporting Bhaji. But with all the sponsorships going out of India - Can ICC take a stand of letting the golden goose of its hands. Come what may it was a right decision on the part of BCCI to pull up ICC and the Australian hooligans and show them their places. Long live Cricket and Long live India.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Arun, Mangalore

    Wed, Jan 09 2008

    Wow what an idea OZs have,first of all they should teach their players how to behave,Ozs cricketers behaviour is as good as of the Gully or street cricket in backward villages of India.

    One more thing Austrlians should not forget that BCCI is not because of ICC, where as ICC is because of BCCI,if tomorow BCCI pulls out of ICC, ther wont be any more ICC,because majority of the revenue is generated by BCCI alone. Infact BCCI should have give only one option to ICC either BCCI or CAB?

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse


Leave a Comment

Title: Cricket: ICC Shouldn't Let BCCI Run the Game: Oz Media



You have 2000 characters left.

Disclaimer:

Please write your correct name and email address. Kindly do not post any personal, abusive, defamatory, infringing, obscene, indecent, discriminatory or unlawful or similar comments. Daijiworld.com will not be responsible for any defamatory message posted under this article.

Please note that sending false messages to insult, defame, intimidate, mislead or deceive people or to intentionally cause public disorder is punishable under law. It is obligatory on Daijiworld to provide the IP address and other details of senders of such comments, to the authority concerned upon request.

Hence, sending offensive comments using daijiworld will be purely at your own risk, and in no way will Daijiworld.com be held responsible.