JOHANNESBURG, December 17 (ANA) – Cricket South Africa (CSA) has taken strong exception to remarks attributed to ICC Chief Executive David Richardson during the course of a recent interview in Sri Lanka.
Richardson stated inter alia: “The international game has gone through a period of turbulence, where the governance, the financial model, the playing [of the game] was in turmoil by the resolutions passed by the ICC in 2014.
“What happened in 2014 took place because unfortunately, countries like South Africa, Sri Lanka and New Zealand were not able to stand up to the big boys. I don’t think that will happen again.”
The above comments were reported in an article on the espncricinfo.com website. Richardson was reflecting on the then dictatorial attitude of world cricket ‘super power’ India and its collaborators Australia and England, who at one time were referred to the “Big Three”.
“If he is indeed correctly quoted, his remarks come as a complete shock to us,” commented CSA Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat.
“For someone who was actually party to the 2014 resolutions to now make such a disparaging remark to CSA is frankly nonsense and insulting to us.
“The CSA Board had from the very outset realised how damaging the original proposals would have been to the global growth of the game and together with Pakistan and Sri Lanka had strongly opposed it.
“This included CSA making a significant written submission to the ICC Board which had resulted in a number of the original proposals being amended. That’s, in fact, the reason why we are where we are now.
“The CSA Board will always stand up for what it believes to be right for the game,” concluded Lorgat.
The CSA President will formally take up this matter with the ICC Chairman. – African News Agency (ANA)
