Date:12/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/12/stories/2008121256491900.htm

Sport - Cricket

Lorgat lauds England’s decision

Special Correspondent

— Photo: K.R. Deepak

MAKING A STATEMENT: The teams observed a one-minute silence as a mark of respect to the victims in the Mumbai attacks before the start of the Test which signified — in Andrew Strauss’s words — that the game of cricket will continue.

Chennai: “Member countries cannot be forced to tour Pakistan by the ICC,” said Haroon Lorgat, Chief Executive Officer of the International Cricket Council, here, on Thursday. He was answering a question on India’s forthcoming cricket tour of Pakistan.

India is slated to tour Pakistan in January where the two sides are scheduled to play three Tests, five ODIs and a Twenty20 international.

The BCCI is awaiting clearance from the Indian government for the tour. There have been doubts about India going ahead with the tour after the terror strikes in Mumbai late last month.

Respect decision

Mr. Lorgat, who arrived here after attending the ICC Chief Executives meeting in Cape Town, added, “We would try and encourage India to tour Pakistan, ensure them that the right security measures are in place.

“But if the Indian Government decides not to allow the tour to go ahead, then we have got to respect that decision. There is nothing the ICC can do about it,” he said.

The ICC CEO said Pakistan should consider playing more in a neutral venue. “Given the excellent facilities available in Dubai and Abu Dabhi, why not make use of them?” he said.

Mr. Lorgat quickly added that even the prospect of India playing Pakistan in a neutral venue was a decision in the hands of Indian Government.

India-Pakistan cricket, he said, was a confidence building measure between the two countries.

Replying to Pakistan’s accusation that the ICC member countries had double standards when it came to touring India, he said, “The context is very, very different. The ICC went to great lengths to assure security there but the Champions Trophy is a multi-national event. Some members took a different view and you have to respect it. It is a different decision, what England has taken. It has assessed the security issues. It’s a bilateral series and you can’t compare the two.”

He congratulated India and England for going ahead with the Test series. “It’s a good day for cricket. It was a brave and a fantastic decision,” he said.

Mr. Lorgat said he also felt that the on-field umpires must be empowered more to cope with bad behaviour. He said the umpires should step in before the incident was reported to the Match Referee.