Akram asks for change in selection procedure

Dhaka, July 14 (bdnews24.com) ? Bangladesh chief selector Akram Khan has proposed a change in the BCB's policy that currently allows the board's technical committee to discuss the selectors' choices, following a delay in the announcement of the squad for the Zimbabwe tour.

There is speculation that the delay is due to meddling by an influential director who is part of the committee, which has reportedly not gone down well with BCB chief Mustafa Kamal, reports ESPNcricinfo.

As is normal practice, Akram conferred with the five directors on the technical committee before submitting his team to Kamal (via the cricket operations committee) on Wednesday evening, but the final squad has not yet been announced - an unusual wait given the quick approval normally given by the board chief.

Akram denied that there was interference from any particular director, but asked for a system that would hold the selection panel accountable for the team's performance, in place of the existing procedure.

"We knew about this policy of talking with the technical committee when we signed the contract, so we have to abide by it," he said.

"It would have been better if they could evaluate our performance after we had selected the team."

It is now not clear when the team will be named; with the committee's directors off to Sylhet for a meeting, it is assumed that a press conference is out of the question on Friday or Saturday.

A press release is expected but only after the BCB's approval.

The remit of the technical committee, chaired by Enayet Hossain Siraj, is to discuss the squad with the selectors before it goes for board approval.

The body was created during Rafiqul Alam's reign and has since been regularly condemned by local media for interfering with selection matters.

There is widespread speculation that the committee impeded the previous selection panel on occasions, and even tried to force a change in the World Cup squad.

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ICC to discuss change in chief selection process

Mumbai, June 24 (bdnews24.com/Reuters) ? The International Cricket Council (ICC) will discuss constitutional amendments to abolish the rotational policy of appointing its head and avoid "government interference" in the game's administration at next week's conference in Hong Kong.

"Under the new proposal, the executive board will decide the process and term of office from time to time, subject to certain qualifying criteria," the ICC said in a statement on Friday.

"This would remove the current rotational system of nomination and the fixed term of appointment as set out in the ICC Articles of Association."

Any such constitutional amendment would impact Pakistan the most as the South Asian country was supposed to nominate the administrator who would succeed New Zealander Alan Isaac, now a vice president, as the ICC chief in 2014.

Isaac will take over from incumbent Sharad Pawar of India next year.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officials have been quoted in the media as saying that they would vehemently oppose the amendments.

The ICC move to reduce government interference would also affect the PCB, the chairman of which is appointed directly by country's president, who is designated chief patron of the board.

Sri Lanka is not free from government interference either. The Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) is an interim body and issues such as team selection have to be approved by their sports ministry.

"The full council of the ICC will consider a constitutional amendment aimed at ensuring free elections of member boards and avoiding undue government interference in the administration of cricket, in line with the regulations of other major sporting bodies," the statement said.

The five-day conference, which starts on Sunday, will also consider the recommendations made by the cricket committee that includes the Decision Review System (DRS) and day-night test matches.

Ireland, who recorded memorable victories over Pakistan and England in the past two editions of the World Cup, will have their fingers crossed when president Pawar asks the ICC executive board to reconsider its decision to restrict the 2015 edition to the 10 test-playing member nations.

The ICC initially decided to restrict the next edition of the 50-over World Cup, to be held in Australia and New Zealand, to the 10 member nations but later proposed a qualifying tournament for associate nations.

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