ICC Technical Committee declines ECB request

The ICC Cricket World Cup 2003 Technical Committee has declined a request from the England & Wales Cricket Board to reschedule its match against Zimbabwe in Harare on 13 February.

Announcing the decision after a five hour hearing, attended by representatives of both the ECB and the Zimbabwe Cricket Union, ICC Chief Executive Malcolm Speed, said: "The Technical Committee respects the ECB's duty to its own players and the responsible nature of its submission today. The Committee has sought to weigh the ECB's concerns in the light of the best available information and evidence concerning safety and security in Zimbabwe.

"In all the circumstances considered during this lengthy and detailed process, the unanimous view of the Committee was that the request by the ECB must be declined."

Shortly after the decision was announced at 21:30 hours, the ECB confirmed that it would appeal against the Technical Committee's decision. The ICC has since appointed Justice Albie Sachs from South Africa as Appeals Commissioner to hear the Appeal. This will take place on Friday 8 February in Cape Town.

Justice Sachs has been a prominent and influential figure in South African legal circles for more than 40 years, and currently sits on the country's Constitutional Court. The process for conducting the Appeal hearing will be left to the discretion of Justice Sachs. This could be based solely on the papers and transcript from today's meeting, or involve further submissions from both the ECB and ZCU. The Commissioner has the power to amend or otherwise substitute his own decision for that of the Technical Committee. His decision is final and binding

The ICC Technical Committee comprised ICC Chief Executive Malcolm Speed, Chairman, Dr Ali Bacher, Executive Director of the Cricket World Cup Organising Committee, Campbell Jamieson, Commercial Manager, IDI, Brian Basson, Director of Cricket Operations for the United Cricket Board of South Africa, and Sunil Gavaskar as an independent member.

Legal advice was provided to the Technical Committee by Jeremy Gauntlett, Senior Counsel, and ICC Lawyer Urvasi Naidoo.

The ECB was represented at today's meeting by its Chief Executive Tim Lamb, Director of Legal Affairs Mark Roper-Drimie and Mark Gay, a solicitor with Denton Wilde Sapte.

The Zimbabwe Cricket Union was represented by its Chairman, Peter Chingoka and its legal advisor Alwyn Pichanick.

Note to media: the Appeal will be held in private, although Justice Sachs' decision will be given in public. Details of when and where this will take place will be advised to media by email on Friday.

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