BCCI to challenge ICC decision

The Board of Control for Cricket in India will challenge the International Cricket Council's decision to declare the on-going third and final 'Test' between India and South Africa, at Centurion Park, unofficial, a top board official said on Friday.

BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah said, "We are abiding by the decision of ousted match referee Mike Denness, who slapped a one-match ban on middle order batsman Virendra Shewag for intimidating the umpires in the second Test, by not playing him in the third Test and hence the match has to be given official status."

He added: "If the ICC does not give official status then we will not hesitate to challenge them," without specifying in which forum the ICC ruling would be contested.

BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmiya maintained the match is "official for all practical purposes".

"I have spoken to Percy Sonn, the president of United Cricket Board of South Africa, and Gerald Majola, its chief executive, this evening and both have confirmed that the match in progress is being considered by the UCBSA as an official Test," he said.

Denness had slapped penalties on six Indian players, including skipper Sourav Ganguly (for not controlling his players) and Sachin Tendulkar (for ball tampering) which sparked off a major controversy, resulting in the cricket boards of India and South Africa side-stepping the ICC and appointing Denis Lindsay of South Africa in place of Englishman Denness for the third 'Test'.

The ICC, meanwhile, declared the third Test unofficial, after Denness was replaced by Lindsay.

India's tour of South Africa : Complete coverage

Mail Cricket Editor