Show spine not crawl before BCCI, McGrath tells ICC

Melbourne, Jan 9 (UNI) Australian pace legend Glenn McGrath has lashed out at International Cricket Council(ICC) for crawling before the BCCI and replacing umpire Steve Bucknor from Perth test under pressure from rich Indian Board.

McGrath, one of the prominent players to have been signed by the BCCI for its domestic Indian Premier League (IPL), said ''he was shocked to see the way ICC has given in to Indian board's pressure and dumped Steve Bucknor from next week's Perth Test.'' 'The Age' quoted McGrath saying, that it was ridiculous to change the umpire just because he had a bad game and the former pacer urged ICC to show some spine and leadership instead of bowing down to the Board of Control for Cricket in India(BCCI) ''I think it is sad and disappointing that it gets to the stage where you have a bad game and they are calling for your head,'' he said.

''What is there, eight international umpires on the panel? And if a couple of teams aren't happy with umpires then all of a sudden you have got one to choose from,'' he said.

McGrath did not agree with ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed's view that World body took the "practical step" just to take tension out of the series and was quoted as saying ''I think that (it) is ridiculous, that is why we have the ICC to control things rather than individual countries,'' he said.

UNI XC HSB RKM RS1437