SPORTS

No plans to shift final: ICC

By Harish Kotian in Mumbai
October 18, 2006 16:57 IST

The International Cricket Council on Wednesday said there are no plans to shift the final of the ICC Champions Trophy.

After being criticised for its slow pitches at the Brabourne stadium in the first two matches, Cricket Club of India president Raj Singh Dungarpur had said on Tuesday that if the pitch for the Australia-West Indies match is not up to the mark, the final would be shifted to some other venue.

"There are no plans at all to shift the final. All reports saying the final match would be shifted are inflammatory," ICC Communications officer John Fitzgerald told rediff.com.

There were also reports on Tuesday that ICC chief executive officer Malcolm Speed would meet officials of the Board of Control for Cricket in India on the same issue.

"I have no information that Speed is coming to Mumbai and that there is a meeting," he added.

Dungarpur had said the wickets were not up to the mark as the monsoon had just ended and the ground staff did not get enough time to prepare them.

"If it still has low bounce on Wednesday I will put my hands up and ask the ICC to shift the final to some other venue," he said.

But the pitch for Wednesday's Australia-West Indies match showed encouraging signs. Though the West Indies lost a few early wickets, it was due to some poor shot selection and not because of any devil in the track.

It remains to be seen whether things will be the same throughout the match.

Harish Kotian in Mumbai

NEXT ARTICLE

NewsBusinessMoviesSportsCricketGet AheadDiscussionLabsMyPageVideosCompany Email