NEW DELHI, Reuter: Indian Cricket authorities said on Saturday they had no ‘option but to accept the cancellation of England’s Winter Tour but firmly ruled out paying compensation.
Ranbir Singh, Secretary of the Board of control for Cricket in India (BCCI), said he had yet to receive official word that England was pulling out over India’s refusal to give Visas to Cricketers who had played or coached in South Africa.
The Indian Government said last month it would refuse visas to England Captain Graham Gooch, who led a Rebel Tour of South Africa in 1982, and seven other players in the squad.
Announcing the decision of England’s test and county Cricket Board (TCCB) on Friday, Chief Executive Alan Smith said it would consider demanding compensation from India.
But Singh said in a telephone interview that India would pay nothing. India did not cancel the tour, he said, and there were no provisions for compensation laid down by the ruling international Cricket conference.
‘We only informed them of our Government’s policy on visa regulations regarding sportsmen with South African links and BCCI cannot defy the Government’s policy.” he said.
Both England and India have said they might seek alternative tours. Sri Lanka has been named as possible alternatives for a tour of India, but Singh said no decision had been made.
Meanwhile, the BCCI Chief said the Indian Government had cleared New Zealand’s tour of three tests, five one day internationals and three other first class matches beginning November 1
MADRAS, INDIA, Reuter: Indian cricket authorities on Tuesday picked all-rounder Ravi Shastri as Vice Captain for India’s 14 man squad in the Champions cup in Sharjah and the Asia cup in Dhaka later this month.
Captain Dilip Vengsarkar was also named to head the National side in the first test against New Zealand in Bangalore from November 12 to 17,
The cup squad includes spinners Narendra Hirwani, Maninder Singh and Arshad Ayub as well as 23 year old medium pace Bowler Rashid Patel, who made his first class debut in 1985,
Mohinder Amarnath, the hero of India’s. World cup victory in 1983, will figure in the familiar batting line up comprising Skipper Dilip Vengsarkar, Krishnamachari Srikkanth and Mohammed Azharuddin.
The champions’ cup limited over competition in the United Arab Emirates takes place from October 16 to 21. The Asia Cup in the Bangladesh Capital starts on October 26.
The squad: Dilip Vengsarkar (captain), Ravi Shastri, Krishnamachari Srikkanth, Nayjot Sidhu, Mohinder Amarnath, Mohammed Azharuddin, Kapil Dev. Kiran More, Chandrakant Pandit, Arshad Ayub, Narendra Hirwani, Maninder Singh, Sanjeev Sharma and Rashid Patel
Article extracted from this publication >> October 14, 1988
