Graveney reports Gavaskar
to the ICC

Infuriated by the 'boring' tag pasted on the English side by Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar, England's chairman of selectors David Graveney has sent a strongly-worded letter to the International Cricket Council.

Besides complaining about Gavaskar's remarks on the performance of the English side during the recent three-Test series against India, Graveney in his letter to ICC chief Malcolm Speed, also warned that "If he carries on like that, he will not be greeted with too much co-operation."

Gavaskar, chairman of ICC's Cricket Playing Committee, accused Nasser Hussain's side of turning fans away from cricket with "boring" play, "good only for people suffering from insomnia".

An apparently peeved Graveney said, "It is not as if it is the first time this has happened. Sunil has been launching salvos at us all tour. "They are unfounded and I don't think many of the people who watched the series would agree with his comments... . He must have been watching a different series from me. I am conscientious and responsible enough not to go and sound off in that manner," he said.

While accepting that Gavaskar is free to express his opinion, Graveney said, "You can accept those remarks from someone in the media but coming from a person in his position, they are highly inappropriate. It is a free world, but you cannot expect to have your cake and eat it too."

Mail Cricket Editor