ICC chief urges fans to support India-England Tests

International Cricket Council (ICC) president David Morgan has urged fans to join him in attending the upcoming India-England Test series and so demonstrate that "we will not be dictated to by terrorists".

The future of the two-Test campaign was called into question following last month's terror attacks in Mumbai which left 172 people dead.

England cut short the one-day international section of their tour to fly home but have since gone out to a training camp in Abu Dhabi, where they are due to make a definitive decision on whether to return to India on Sunday.

The first Test is due to start in Chennai on December 11 and the second in Mohali on December 19 after officials switched the venues from Ahmedabad and Mumbai respectively in response to the attacks.

Morgan, a former chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), said in a statement issued from the ICC's Dubai headquarters: "ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat will be in Chennai for the first Test and I will be in Mohali to show the ICC's support for India and the two teams.

"I would urge as many supporters as possible to join us during the series, not only because they will see two excellent sides playing Test cricket, the pinnacle of our sport, but also because by doing so we will demonstrate that we will not be dictated to by terrorists,"

the Welshman added.

"I believe the Test series will be a clear demonstration of the resilience of the Indian people and the game of cricket and an illustration that the game has the ability to bring people together."

Morgan insisted he was sensitive to safery concerns, saying:

"Safety and security of the players, officials and spectators must be the key consideration at all times.

"But if security assessments indicate that the measures put in place are appropriate then we - players, officials and all stakeholders - have a duty to ensure cricket takes place,"

he added.

"I have been in regular contact with both the president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Shashank Manohar and Giles Clarke, the England and Wales Cricket Board's chairman, and it is clear they both want to play the matches if at all possible.

"The players have also demonstrated an acceptance of their role in trying to put a smile back on the face of a country that has undergone a horrendous experience."

West Indies to host World Twenty20 in 2010

Minutes after speaking about maintaining the "primacy of test cricket", the International Cricket Council chief executive Haroon Lorgat announced a World Twenty20 would be staged in the West Indies in 2010. A similar tournament will be held in England next June before the rescheduled Champions Trophy is due to start in Pakistan next September.

"There was a choice that the board had between holding a Champions Trophy or Twenty20 and it was decided it would make more sense, and get a better spread of events, for that to be a Twenty20,"

Lorgat said. After the 2009 Champions Trophy, the tournament will not be played again until at least 2012 because the World Cup is being staged in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in 2011.

Concerns have grown over the future of Tests with the emergence of Twenty20, which is quickly gaining in popularity. Lorgat, who attended a full ICC board meeting in Dubai this week, said the world's cricket boards "respect the primacy of test cricket" and the ICC was considering its position on a number of issues involving the abbreviated format.

The unofficial Indian Cricket League met with the Board of Control for Cricket in India, the owner of the sanctioned Indian Premier League, this week but the talks failed. The ICC will wait for an official report from the BCCI before considering an application from the ICL to become an official competition.

Players in the event, which is currently being held in India, are banned from representing their home domestic and international teams.

"We are going through a process and part of that process is to wait for a report from the BCCI and we will consider that report and deal with that application,"

Lorgat said.

The ICC is also involved in "on-going discussions" over Sri Lanka's in-doubt tour of England next May after a US$70m proposal from the BCCI for Sri Lanka's players to appear in the IPL instead of the Test tour.

"What we are seeing is the challenge between the way players want to be in terms of their earnings, the potential to earn the most while they have a window in their own careers,"

Lorgat said.

"It's clear what the position of the Sri Lanka cricket board is, they want to see their team to tour England to go through. Equally the England cricket board is keen to see it go ahead."

Lorgat said a "window" for the IPL competition, which would allow players to switch between international and Twenty20 duties, had not been discussed by the ICC.

"We are waiting to see how it all unfolds,"

he said.

"This is the first occasion we have this challenge with the Sri Lanka players. When we do a complete review of the Future Tours Programme that will be up for discussion."

Crowds in Mohali for the second Test between India and Australia have been poor and Lorgat said the attendances were a worry, especially on Friday when Sachin Tendulkar became the leading run-scorer in Test cricket.

"Absolutely, all of us who came through yesterday were quite concerned at the lack of spectators,"

he said.

"It is something we will have to look at very seriously."

Lorgat also said the ICC would be more careful over its handling of the 2009 Champions Trophy following the postponement of this year's event due to safety and security concerns in Pakistan.

"We want to make sure long before the September and October dates next year that we make a final choice on the security situation,"

he said.

ICC Confirm Rule Changes

The International Cricket Council have confirmed that a series of amendments to playing conditions will take effect from tomorrow.

The ICC chief executives' committee ratified a number of proposals when they met at the end of June and all future Tests and one-day internationals will now be played under the revised laws.

The practice of players leaving the field for 'comfort breaks' to be replaced by substitute fielders has been legislated against, with clause two of the game's playing conditions explicitly stating that such reasons do not represent "wholly acceptable" justification.

Additionally, all catches can now be referred to the third umpire when the on-field officials are unsure as to the validity of an appeal.

The amended wording on disputed catches now reads:

"Should both umpires be unable to make a decision, they may consult by two-way radio with the third umpire as to whether there is any definitive evidence as to whether the catch was taken cleanly or not. Following such consultation, the final decision will be made and given by the bowler's-end umpire."

One-day captains have been handed another tactical decision to make, with one of the two options power-plays - periods of five overs when fielding restrictions are applied - to be picked by the batting side.

Current rules have a 10-over enforced power-play, with the fielding captain choosing the timing of the next two.

Another change that was brought about at the ICC meeting involved handing the umpires the chance to reduce the interval between innings when the game has been delayed or interrupted was introduced with immediate effect in June.

An ICC statement read:

"These amendments, which were unanimously approved by all 10 full members and the three associate member representatives on the CEC at its meeting at the end of June, are designed to improve the game for players, umpires and spectators."

ICC To Hear Out ICL Owners

International Cricket Council president David Morgan has agreed to a request to meet with the owners of the rebel Indian Cricket League.

The ICL is not officially recognised by the ICC and has been in conflict with cricket's authorities since its inception last year.

Now Morgan has agreed to meet with Subhash Chandra of Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited, who own the ICL.

Morgan said:

"The ICL had previously written to the ICC requesting its approval and now it has asked for this meeting, to which we have agreed.

"All members of the ICC Board have been informed of this meeting and I will report back to those directors at the Board's next meeting, in Dubai on 14 and 15 October."

The ICC refused to comment on the subject of the meeting, but it is expected Chandra will wish to discuss the matter of official sanctioning for the ICL.

Representatives from the ICL are unhappy that the league's players are being prevented from playing top-level cricket, with a report on Zee's own website in July suggesting the matter could be taken to London's High Court.

At an ICC board meeting in the same month, the body formed a committee to look at the issues of official, unofficial and unauthorised cricket.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), whose vice-president, Lalit Modi, is the chairman and commissioner of the Indian Premier League, have an understanding with other major nations that individuals who participate in the ICL will not be allowed to ply their trade in any top-level competition.

Both Rana Naved-ul-Hasan and Mushtaq Ahmed faced a battle to be allowed to play in the English County Championship this season after their participation in the ICL.

Since then, English Twenty20 Cup runners-up Kent have been prevented from taking part in the upcoming inaugural Twenty20 champions League, co-organised by the BCCI, because they have players who took part in the ICL.

ICC to introduce women’s ODI rankings

Women’s cricket takes another step towards integrating with the game at large with the ICC introducing ODI Player rankings. The rankings will be launched in October, ahead of India’s tour to Australia.

The news comes ahead of a busy year for women’s cricket, with two World Cups — 50 over and Twenty20 — to be played in the first half of next year.

The rankings, expected to raise the profile of the game and bring the spotlight on top players, have been put together by the same statistical experts who have put together the ODI Player Rankings for men.

The ICC decided to consider one-dayers only since a majority of women’s matches are played in that format.

Since 1934 131 women’s Tests have been played by 10 teams, with only Australia, England, India and New Zealand featuring in more than three each. The same logic applies to Twenty20s, of which only 19 have been played since 2004.

Lisa Sthalekar, the Australian vice-captain, said the introduction of the rankings would generate a lot of interest and competition among players and provide an additional challenge for each series.

“Not only will you want to help your team win the series but you will also want to improve your own individual rating as well. Hopefully the battle to be the number one in the batting and bowling ratings will generate a lot more media interest as well in women’s cricket,”

she said.

“Previously we have only had the Player of the Series award at major events and the Women’s Player of the Year at the ICC awards to give us any indication on who the best players in the women’s game are,”

she added.

Jhulan Goswami said

“it will increase the competition amongst the players, as everyone will want to be the number one player.”

Charlotte Edwards said

“we need to make sure that women’s cricket uses the next twelve months, where we have two major international events.

Darrell Hair resigns from post

Darrell Hair, the Australian umpire, has tended his resignation with the ICC in order to take up a coaching role.

Hair returned to top-flight umpiring in March, six months after a period of rehabilitation that was enforced by his employers, the ICC, in response to the forfeited England-Pakistan Oval Test in 2006. Hair officiated in two Tests between England and New Zealand in May but, in spite of continuing to be on the Elite Panel of umpires, he has not been offered any more.

Consequently, he has decided to end what has been a successful umpiring career, albeit one blighted by controversy in recent years. He takes up his new role with the New South Wales Umpires and Scorers Association (NSWUSA) in 10 days.

"Darrell will concentrate on what he will do best: mentor, coaching and getting umpires up to a higher level,"

Peter Hughes, a spokesman for the NSWUSA, told The Australian.

The fracas at The Oval in 2006 was the first game in history to be forfeited after Pakistan refused to take the field, following Hair's ruling that they had tampered with the ball. Hair was subsequently stood down from any matches which involved full-member nations, although never officially removed from the Elite panel, but continued to stand in Associate games. Indeed, he is currently standing in West Indies' match against Canada in King City. He took the ICC to court claiming racial discrimination, but withdrew his claims seven days into a tribunal in London last October.

He moved back to Australia and went on a six-month rehabilitation course before being reinstated at the ICC's March meeting in Dubai. Yet although he made a quiet return to the fold in England this year, the fact he was to be "kept away" from matches involving Pakistan led many to question his status as an international umpire. In addition, Pakistan were outraged at his return to the fold.

ICC's 2009 conference to be held at Lord's

The ICC's annual conference in 2009 will be held at Lord's, David Morgan, the ICC president, has confirmed. Lord's had held the yearly conference since the first in 1909, but the meeting this year was hosted in Dubai, the first time it had been moved from the body's former London headquarters.

The shift to Dubai, where the ICC headquarters is located, came after it emerged that officials from Zimbabwe may not be granted visas by the British government due to the prevailing political situation in that country. But it's believed the conference will be held at Lord's next year even if visas are not granted to Zimbabwe officials, as the decision to host the meeting in England was unanimously endorsed by the ICC board, which includes Peter Chingoka, the president of Zimbabwe Cricket.

"It is perfect timing as it will allow Lord's, the ICC's home for the first 96 years of its existence, to play a central role in our organisation's centenary celebrations, as 2009 is the 100th anniversary of the founding of the ICC,"

Morgan said.

"That central role will involve not only the hosting of our biggest ever annual conference week, with all 60 Affiliate Members invited for the first time alongside the Associate and Full Members, but also the staging of matches in the ICC World Twenty 2009, including the finals of both the men's and women's events on 21 June.

"The ICC's centenary will be a time to look back at the legends who have shaped the game over the previous 100 years,"

he said.

"It will also provide an opportunity to look forward and celebrate the thousands of volunteers who sustain the game's grassroots and, at the same time, the ICC will use the year to highlight the special spirit of cricket on and off the field of play."

Looking ahead to his two years as ICC president, Morgan said he would spend much of the next year meeting the ICC's members - their officials and their stakeholders. "We are a members' organisation and so we need to know what type of ICC our members want.

"Do they want a toothless tiger that is only useful to blame for any failings when things go wrong? Or do they want a strong governing body invested with the power to run, and make decisions based on the best interests of, the game, and a body they can trust to do just that?

"Haroon Lorgat [the ICC's new chief executive officer] and I will travel to Full Members, Associates and Affiliates over the next 12 months to seek some answers,"

he said.

"But we also want it to be a two-way street. We want to meet boards and key stakeholders including players, ex-players, media, sponsors, even governments.

"We want those stakeholders to know what the ICC does and to ask if we can do anything differently or better. And, at the same time, we will ask what they can do for the ICC.

"By this time next year, when I report back to the ICC's annual conference, we should have a better idea of how we can help our members - and how our members can help the ICC to ensure cricket remains a strong sport, growing stronger."

Sri Lankans top ICC Test batting, bowling rankings

Latest edition of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Test player rankings issued Tuesday (rankings as on June 17):

Leading batsmen (rank, player, team, rating, average, highest rating)

1. Kumar Sangakkara (SL) 893 55.19 938 v ENG at Kandy 2007
2. Shivnarine Chanderpaul (WI) 890 49.08 890 v AUS at Bridgetown 2008
3. Mike Hussey (AUS) 882 68.38 921 v WI at Kingston 2008
4= Ricky Ponting (AUS) 880 58.37 942 v ENG at Adelaide 2006
4= Mohammad Yousuf (PAK) 880 55.49 933 v WI at Karachi 2006
6. Jacques Kallis (RSA) 877 57.14 935 v NZ at Centurion 2007
7. Matthew Hayden (AUS) 834 53.51 935 v ENG at Brisbane 2002
8. Mahela Jayawardene (SL) 810 51.93 844 v WI at Guyana 2008
9. Younis Khan (PAK) 799 49.14 856 v ENG at Headingley 2006
10. Kevin Pietersen (ENG) 795 49.55 909 v WI at Headingley 2007

Leading bowlers (rank, player, team, rating, average, highest rating)

1. Muttiah Muralitharan (SL) 897 21.95 920 v BD at Kandy 2007
2. Dale Steyn (RSA) 892 21.60 897 v IND at Ahmedabad 2008
3. Stuart Clark (AUS) 863* 21.46 863 v WI at Bridgetown 2008
4. Brett Lee (AUS) 794 29.58 811 v WI at Antigua 2008
5. Makhaya Ntini (RSA) 777 27.85 863 v IND at Durban 2006
6. Ryan Sidebottom (ENG) 748* 25.11 748 v NZ at TrentBridge2008
7. Chaminda Vaas (SL) 709 29.09 800 v IND at Chennai 2005
8. Anil Kumble (IND) 708 29.06 859 v SL at Bangalore 1994
9. Shoaib Akhtar (PAK) 684 25.69 855 v NZ at Wellington 2003
10. Shane Bond (NZ) 668* 22.39 778 v WI at Auckland 2006

Note: * = provisional rating: a bowler qualifies for a full rating when he reaches 100 Test wickets.

Leading Test all-rounders (rank, change, player, team, rating, highest rating)
1. (- ) Jacques Kallis (RSA) 495 616 v PAK at Durban 2002
2. (- ) Daniel Vettori (NZ) 324 360 v ENG at Lord's 2008
3. (- ) Andrew Flintoff (ENG) 302 501 v PAK at Multan 2005
4. (+2) Dwayne Bravo (WI) 295 295 v AUS at Bridgetown 2008
5. (-1) Chaminda Vaas (SL) 294 300 v WIS at Guyana 2008

Note: * = provisional rating: a batsman qualifies for a full rating after playing 40 Test innings; a bowler qualifies for a full rating when he reaches 100 Test wickets.

Guernsey becomes ICC associate member

The Channel Island of Guernsey has been awarded associate member status of the ICC.

Guernsey became the 34th associate member after a unanimous vote at the ICC’s annual conference in Dubai this week, the ECB said Friday.

The Sussex County Cricket Board entered an agreement with its Guernsey counterpart two years ago that Sussex officials would help run the island’s senior team.

“It’s great news for Guernsey and Sussex Cricket,”

said Keith Greenfield, the Sussex cricket performance manager.

“Our link with Guernsey has gone from strength to strength and it’s a wonderful opportunity for the standards of their cricket to improve,”

he said.

Two other countries applied for associate status, but Vanuatu’s bid was rejected on the grounds they had not beaten two associate members, while Mozambique withdrew their application.

Three European nations, Bulgaria, Estonia and Turkey were granted affiliate status, giving the ICC a total of 104 members.

Zimbabwe pull out of World Twenty20

Zimbabwe have agreed to pull out of next year's Twenty20 World Cup in England, clearing the roadblocks for the competition to be staged there, but will retain their status as Full Member of the ICC and receive funding as usual. They will also receive their full participation fee for the tournament.

"We have decided to pull out in the larger interests of the game,"

Peter Chingoka, the chairman of Zimbabwe Cricket, told Cricinfo.

"We have been informed that the British government may not grant visas to our players, and that situation may prevail during the Twenty20 World Cup. We don't want to be gatecrashers."

"It was a collective decision and I was a part of that decision,"

Sharad Pawar, the BCCI president, told Cricinfo.

"The full membership of Zimbabwe is currently not in doubt,"

ICC president David Morgan said.

"There was not even a discussion on the issue of Zimbabwe's membership. Everybody stands to benefit from the decision. Zimbabwe will be entitled to participation fees in the tournament like any other member. The ICC could not jeopardise the tournament."

The decision, Chingoka said, pertained only to the tournament in England.

"We are now looking forward to more tours and international cricket with our Asian friends, especially India."

The Zimbabwe issue had occupied a large part of the discussions during the ICC executive board meeting, which carried over to an unscheduled third day on Friday after a failure to reach a consensus.

Some countries, led by England and South Africa, had been pushing for Zimbabwe to be stripped of Full Member status but that move had been opposed by India.

Ray Mali, the former ICC president, has recommended the setting up of a sub-committee to "advise the ICC board on all matters relating to Zimbabwe cricket including its return to full participation in the international game. The specific terms of reference for the sub-committee will be finalised in due course." The sub-committee, if approved, will chaired by Julian Hunte, the head of the West Indies board, and include Arjuna Ranatunga and another official (who hasn't been confirmed).

Norman Arendse, the president of Cricket South Africa, was satisfied with the ICC's resolution on Zimbabwe.

"Cricket South Africa welcomes the ICC resolution on Zimbabwe as a step forward in the right direction,"

Arendse said.

"The Zimbabwe issue is difficult and complex, and was discussed at length. At least, the ICC decision extricates all Full Member countries from the potential problem of the Twenty20 tournament to be played in England in 2009.

"CSA's recently articulated position in relation to Zimbabwe Cricket will, however, remain as is, until the Zimbabwe situation is resolved to the satisfaction of all parties concerned."

ICC agrees to change Oval forfeiture to draw

An agreement in principle is believed to have been reached to change the result of the controversial Oval Test between England and Pakistan in 2006 from an English victory to a draw, following pressure from the Pakistan Cricket Board during the annual ICC meeting in Dubai. The decision will be deemed official and final only after the board meeting concludes on Thursday and if the issue is not revisited before that.

"England and Pakistan have agreed to declare the Oval Test as a draw to maintain the dignity of Pakistan in world cricket, especially after the ball-tampering charges were dropped,"

a source who attended the meeting said. The topic took up a considerable chunk of the morning's proceedings.

The Test was originally awarded to England by umpire Darrell Hair after Pakistan did not come out to field after tea on the fourth day, following accusations of ball-tampering.

Pakistan had, at the time, been in a strong position in the match, having secured a first-innings lead of 331 and removed four England batsmen second-time around. There was nothing at stake in the series, with England already leading 2-0 after wins at Headingley and Old Trafford, but the eventual forfeiture was the first in the history of Test cricket. The removal of England's win could affect their standing in the ICC Test Championship - they are currently third on 110 points, one ahead of their next opponents, South Africa, on 109.

The result had huge off-field ramifications as well. Hair went on to be suspended from the ICC elite panel, and though that decision was overturned last year when he took his employers to the High Court in London, the initial decision formed the basis of Pakistan's appeal for a rethink of the result.

A PCB source told PTI:

"Members of other boards supported us in our stand that the result should be officially changed to a draw as an ICC adjudicator later found Hair guilty of transgressing his authority and not behaving properly during the entire episode. The board agreed the result should be a draw not a forfeited win for England."

ICC introduces women's T20 World Cup

International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday introduced the women's edition of the Twenty20 World Cup alongside its men's version. It will be held in England next year.

Eight nations, including India, will participate in it. The other contenders are Australia, England, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka and the West Indies, who all will also compete in next year's ICC Women's Cricket World Cup in Australia, an ICC statement said.

The men's tournament, which will be staged at three venues -- Lord's, The Oval and Trent Bridge, will include a fourth venue, Taunton, for women.

Both the semi-finals, at Trent Bridge on June 18 and The Oval on June 19, and also the final at Lord's on June 21 will be double-headers with women's and men's matches.

South Africa cuts links with Zimbabwe

Pressure from its own cricketers appears to have forced Cricket South Africa into an embarrassing about-turn regarding cricketing links with Zimbabwe.

Norman Arendse, CSA's president, and other senior administrators, especially Ray Mali, the ICC president, have adopted a policy of unwavering support for Zimbabwe Cricket. But last week a number of players made clear that the deteriorating social environment in Zimbabwe meant they were no longer willing to play against sides from there.

"In the light of the worsening situation in Zimbabwe, CSA has reviewed its position in relation to Zimbabwe cricket,"

Arendse said on Monday. "We have decided to suspend our bi-lateral agreements with the Zimbabwe Cricket Union until further notice.

"In the past, CSA has defended Zimbabwe cricket against heavy odds, but the general situation in Zimbabwe has now made this untenable.

"We will continue to comply with the ICC's Future Tours Programme regarding Zimbabwe, as we are bound to this programme as a full member of the ICC. However, CSA will suspend its bi-lateral agreements with ZC, which includes development and administrative programmes, and the participation of Zimbabwe teams in CSA's domestic competitions."

The news will be a hammer blow to the Zimbabwe board as the only really meaningful cricket they have been able to play of late has been in South Africa's domestic competitions.

As things stand, Zimbabwe have no domestic games scheduled until their new season starts in March 2009, and the only international fixtures arranged in the next year are home and away series against Sri Lanka.

The timing of the announcement could not be worse, coming on the eve of the ICC annual conference in Dubai when, in theory, Zimbabwe could have asked to be readmitted to Test cricket. That idea is now as distant as at any stage in the last three years.

Umpires' review system to start in India-Sri Lanka series

An experimental rule allowing players to seek a second opinion on umpiring decisions will be put on trial during India's upcoming series in Sri Lanka, officials said on Monday.

The rule says a batsman or fielding captain may request the review of any decision taken by on-field umpires by referring it to the third official monitoring television replays.

Each team will be allowed three unsuccessful review requests per innings. But if an umpire reverses his original decision after a review appeal, the benefiting team will be allowed an additional appeal.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) decided to trial the review in March, but it had to be put off after England and South Africa failed to reach an agreement on it for their Test series next month.

The Indian cricket board said in a statement on Monday that the new rule will be used during the three-Test series against Sri Lanka starting in Colombo on July 23.

A player can make a request for a review by making a 'T' sign with his hands and if the TV umpire rules in the player's favour, the on-field umpire will have to overrule his previous decision.

The rule will apply for all modes of dismissals except 'Timed Out' when an incoming batsman is given out if he takes too long to arrive at the crease after the fall of the previous wicket.

The TV umpire will be entitled to use slow motion replays from all available cameras, sounds from the stumps microphones and the Hawkeye system for tracking the trajectory of the ball.

So far, only the on-field umpires determine if a decision needs to be passed on to TV officials.

But growing concerns about the standards of umpiring have led for calls for increased use of available technology and forced the ICC to try the new system.

A similar experiment in English domestic one-day cricket last season was widely regarded as unsuccessful with the third umpire generally reluctant to over-rule his colleagues out in the middle.

England moves up to third in ICC Test Rankings

The 2-0 series triumph over New Zealand has propelled England to the third spot in the ICC Test Rankings, just one point behind second-placed India.

With Australia currently 30 points clear at the top of the table, there is no danger of it being caught any time soon.

However, the ladder is a lot more congested further down with just five points separating India in second position and Sri Lanka in fifth.

England could have ended this series in second position had it won all three Tests but it can still wind up its summer ahead of India if it outperforms South Africa and India does not win its Test series in Sri Lanka.

However, if South Africa edges the four-match series it could be the one to go into second depending on how the Sri Lanka-India series pans out.

ICC considers repackaging Tests

Plans are afoot to make Test matches more attractive and ensure the Twenty20 format does not destroy the traditional five-day game, according to IS Bindra, who will take charge as the ICC's principal advisor next month.

Bindra said the sport's governing body was concerned at dwindling Test attendance.

"We need to learn from our experiences and move forward,"

Bindra told the Week, an Indian magazine. "We in the ICC have had very serious discussions for the last six to eight months on how to repackage Test cricket, make it more exciting and introduce an element of competition.

"It does not mean tinkering with the form but we are looking to bringing in more audience in Test matches."

Bindra, a former president of the BCCI, declined to reveal the measures being considered but said the

"the ICC was looking at ways to increase scoring-rates [and] have a world championship of Test cricket."

These plans will be unveiled as early as next month when the ICC holds their annual meeting at its headquarters in Dubai. Bindra sidestepped suggestions that Twenty20 will spell more trouble for the 50-over format than Test cricket.

"The future of 50-overs cricket is something that one has to look at in the long term."

"For now, the ICC has laid a stipulation that all Test nations must play a minimum of 30 one-day internationals and 12 Tests each year as part of the existing Future Tours Programme (FTP) that runs till 2012."

David Morgan defends premature sidelining of Malcolm Speed

International Cricket Council (ICC) newly elected president David Morgan has defended governing body decision sidelining chief executive, Malcolm Speed prior to his tenure of employment.

He confirmed that the decision to put Malcolm Speed on forced leave for the last two months of his contract as CEO was as a result of a ‘fundamental breakdown’ in the relationship between him, Ray Mali, the president, and some of the Executive Board members.

Addressing a press conference at Lord’s, Morgan briefed on chief executive Malcolm Speed’s premature leave. He said that the Board’s caretaker president Ray Mali and Malcolm Speed had with mutual agreement finalized this that Malcolm Speed would go on leave in the last two months of his tenure of employment. When quizzed on Zimbabwe cricket, David Morgan said that this was the issue on which Board’s president and chief executive had differences. Malcolm Speed was unhappy over ICC not taking action against the Zimbabwe Board for misappropriations in Zimbabwe cricket accounts. He clarified that Malcolm Speed was neither sent on forced leave for his being Australian nor related to ICL or IPL.

ICC moves its annual conference to Dubai

The ICC annual conference will be held in Dubai this June, ending a 99-year association with Lord’s.

This has been learnt that the decision to abandon London as the host venue was taken by the majority of the ICC executive board at the opening of the IPL in Bangalore last week after claims by Peter Chingoka that attempts by him to obtain a visa to enter the UK had been blocked.

Although there was no formal meeting held in Bangalore, only two or three board heads were absent, and when Chingoka flagged that he had not been successful in obtaining a visa, it was agreed to switch the get together to the ICC headquarters. A formal announcement is expected in the next few days.

The annual ICC conference has been held at Lord’s since the first meeting in 1909.

The decision to relocate this year casts a shadow over plans to centre the ICC’s centenary celebrations on Lord’s, and unless Chingoka is allowed into the country - and given the hardening of the line against anyone associated with Zanu-PF, that seems unlikely - then the loss of the conference could be the first in a chain of events moved from the UK.

The ICC’s centenary celebrations next year are due to be centred on Lord’s, and there is also scheduled to be a bilateral tour by Zimbabwe followed by the ICC World Twenty20.

ICC says it will probe Kanpur Test wicket

The International Cricket Council is investigating the wicket used in the final Test between India and South Africa in Kanpur, which was criticised following the tourists' collapse, a top official said on Wednesday.

The dry, dusty pitch at the Green Park, described by South African coach Mickey Arthur as "a poor cricket wicket", saw India win the match in three days on Sunday to draw the series 1-1.

Match referee Roshan Mahanama described it as sub-standard in his post-match report, forcing the International Cricket Council (ICC) to demand an explanation from the Indian cricket board.

"I can confirm the Kanpur wicket was reported by the match referee,"

ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed told reporters during a brief visit to Mumbai.

The ICC could, as a last resort, ban Kanpur as a Test venue if it does not receive a convincing reply from the Indian board.

South Africa, batting first after winning the toss, scored 265 and India replied with 325.

The tourists were shot out for 121 in 55.5 overs in their second innings, with captain Graeme Smith's 35 the top score.

India lost two wickets chasing 62 for victory, but levelled the series.

They had been behind after being thrashed inside three days in the second Test at Ahmedabad.

"There was always something happening on the wicket,"

said Arthur after the match.

"It was behaving like a fifth day pitch on the second day. It was a poor cricket wicket."

Arthur also slammed the poor cricketing and hotel facilities in Kanpur, but stressed South Africa did not lodge a complaint.

"We are a major cricketing power, so we should get good venues and facilities,"

he said.

"But Kanpur, to our disappointment, was way below par in everything.

"It was a poor cricket wicket, though I can understand the reason behind it. But the practice facilities and the accommodation left a lot to be desired for an international venue."

Cricket image hurt in recent years, says Haroon Logart

Haroon Lorgat, the next chief executive of the International Cricket Council (ICC) has said the image of cricket was one of the challenges he will face when he takes over from Malcolm Speed in July.

"There have been certain incidents over the past few years that have impacted on the image of cricket,"

he said in response to a question at a press conference in Cape Town to confirm his appointment.

"Being such a global sport it is a challenge that is always going to be there, to protect the image and manage the potential conflicts that one might see coming. There's some work to done to ensure we better manage those sort of situations."