ICC-appointed adjudicator clears Haroon Lorgat of BCCI-related charge

David Becker, who was the ICC legal adviser throughout Lorgat's tenure as CEO of the world body, had last year issued a statement suggesting that the BCCI's flouting of the FTP could have legal implications and that it was "improper" to allow a member body to "blatantly disregard an ICC resolution".
    
In his October 2013 statement, Becker, also a former legal adviser of Cricket South Africa, had said that he had resigned from his ICC post because of what he considered "questionable governance" at the ICC and listed three examples, all relating to the "dominance of BCCI President N Srinivasan".
    
Lorgat was accused by the BCCI of having the knowledge of Becker's statement and, in fact, of its preparation, prompting the ICC to commission an inquiry into his role in that statement.
    
The controversy had also threatened to derail India's tour of South Africa December last. BCCI had agreed to a shortened tour only after the CSA agreed to bar Lorgat from dealing with matters related to India and from attending ICC Executive Meetings as CSA representative.
    
The adjudicator, in a joint statement issued by the ICC and CSA, said that there was "no evidence to support the allegations made against Lorgat".
    
As a result, any restrictions on Lorgat's ability to act as CSA chief executive were removed. He can now resume acting as CSA's representative on the ICC Chief Executive's Committee and deal with affairs involving the BCCI.
    
"An independent Adjudicator, appointed by the ICC to look into the content and distribution of media comments made about ICC Board by David Becker, who at that time was acting as a legal consultant to CSA in respect of their ongoing dispute over FTP Schedule, and the subsequent attempts to have them withdrawn, and, in particular, role of Haroon Lorgat, CEO of CSA, in these matters has found no evidence to support the allegations made against Lorgat," the statement said.

(Agencies)

Source: Latest Cricket News

Srinivasan has agreed for Indo-Pak bilateral series, claims PCB chairman

"Mr Srinivasan has reassured me they are serious about playing a bilateral series with us even at neutral venues of our choice, but eventually we will need some written assurances and firm guarantees that this series will happen," Ashraf told the media in Lahore.

    

Ashraf termed the offer by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) as a positive gesture.

    

"We want to be sure that this proposed series against India will actually take place, because you have to keep in mind that India had avoided playing regular bilateral series with us in recent years," he said.

    

Ashraf pointed out that, in contrast, Pakistan had gone out of its way to play against India and had toured India in 2007 and 2013 but in this period India only came to Pakistan for the Asia Cup in 2008.

    

The offer from the BCCI for a bilateral series at a neutral venue has come after Indian cricket board along with its Australian and England counterparts moved a draft proposal paper at the ICC, which proposes to restructure the governance model of the world body and also revise the distribution of finances and revenues among member nations.

    

Ashraf said that as far as relations with India were concerned, PCB would seek guarantees and written assurances from the BCCI for any future series.

    

He admitted that the BCCI had told Pakistan before the ICC meeting late last month that they needed to sign the draft proposal by the three boards but since then India's stance had changed for the positive.

    

Ashraf also said that the PCB was in talks with the South Africa and Sri Lankan cricket boards to have regular series with them.

    

"With South Africa we are looking to have a regular series named the Jinnah-Mandela trophy," he said.

    

Asked about the Umar Akmal road rage incident and his subsequent arrest by the police, and his time in lock up, Ashraf said the board would be inquiring into the matter to find out what actually happened and why the incident took place.

 (Agencies)