ICC threatens to expel India

By Hasan Suroor

LONDON, NOV. 25. The International Cricket Council (ICC), which governs world cricket, has threatened to expel India if it ``flouts'' its authority, The Sunday Times reported today as the stand-off between the ICC and the Indian cricket establishment threatened to spiral into a full-blown confrontation on the eve of the first Test between India and England in Mohali on December 3.

There were fears that the Test series itself could be jeopardised if India insisted on playing Virender Sehwag despite the one Test-ban slapped on him by the ICC match referee, Mr. Mike Denness, for alleged bad behaviour during the second India- South Africa Test this week. According to The Sunday Times, the ICC referee for the India-England series, Mr. Denis Lindsay, had been told not to allow India to field Sehwag as, officially, he had not served the ban. ``Denis has been instructed that Virender Sehwag must not play,'' the newspaper quoted the ICC president, Mr. Malcolm Gray, as saying. India could invite action if it went ahead with playing Sehwag on the plea that he had served the ban by sitting out the officially unrecognised third India-South Africa ``Test''.

``We have the power to expel a member country. It is in our articles of association and is the only power available to us,'' Mr. Gray said.

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