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BCCI sets Monday as deadline

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI SEPT. 7. The suspense over the impasse involving the Indian players, the Board and the International Cricket Council continues.

The Board on Saturday lobbed the ball back into the court of the players by asking them to sign the ICC contract by Monday to be available for selection for the Champions Trophy starting in Colombo on September 12.

This time the Board has set a deadline for the players — September 9. "We won't wait beyond 2 p.m on Monday. Only those who sign the contract will qualify for selection. No one sets deadline for us. We've set our own deadline,'' announced Board president, Mr. Jagmohan Dalmiya here on Saturday.

The Board has asked the National selectors to assemble in Kolkata on Sunday to pick the "best available team.'' The matter continues to hang with the players, in the midst of the final Test at Oval, to once again required to have a fresh look at the situation.

The International Cricket Council (ICC), after its meeting with some of the Indian players in London, had claimed to have solved the problem. A deal was reportedly worked out where the ICC was willing to make some concessions in the clause relating to the players appearing in advertisements.

The Board had summoned an emergent meeting of the Working Committee to decide upon the course of action in the matter of sponsorships and players' endorsements in ICC events. The Board claimed the matter was discussed threadbare and the meeting adopted the following solution.

"Reiterating the continuing support to the Indian cricketers, the Working Committee of the Board will propose to the crickeyers to sign the 30-day bar clause for the ICC Champions Trophy and if they suffer any loss, the BCCI will compensate them entirely,'' said Mr. Dalmiya through a prepared statement.

"We're not rejecting the compromise struck by the ICC and the players. We're trying to ensure that we participate in the tournament but under no circumstances shall the BCCI pay any damages to the ICC,'' said Mr. Dalmiya.

The Board president said he had supported the players all along. ''I well understand the players' concern of losing money in the event of the sponsor taking them to court but like I repeatedly said in the past the Board will back the players. They must now sign the contracts and make themselves available for selection. I've spoken to some of the sponsors of the players and have received encouraging response. The players must trust the Board and sign the contracts. Or else we'll be compelled to pick the best available team. We've shortlisted the probables for the purpose,'' Mr. Dalmiya stressed.

Mr. Dalmiya claimed the ICC did demand compensation from the Board in the event of it not sending its best team. "Who is to decide which is the best team,'' asked Mr. Dalmiya. "Our selectors know which is the best team and the best available is what we shall send to Colombo,'' he added.

"If the players don't sign the contracts it's their problem but I assure them the BCCI will take care of any losses they suffer from their individual sponsors. The Board is giving them a blank cheque in this matter,'' he pointed out.

Mr. Dalmiya said there was no assurance from the ICC that it would not raise the compensation at a later stage. In fact, to tackle the legal aspect the Board invited former Law Minister Mr. A. K. Jaitley to the meeting on Saturday.

"The BCCI can't be making all the concessions,'' said Mr. Dalmiya even as he made an appeal to the players to sign the contracts offered originally by the ICC. On the issue of the players forming an association, the Board president said ''the Board welcomes such a move. I've been a union worker and I believe in it. But we'll not talk to any middleman.''

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