ICC takes dig at India team's perfromance and BCCI

Mohali, Nov 1 (UNI) International Cricket Council (ICC) today took a dig at the BCCI and Indian team's dismal show, saying performance, not money power, is the real yardstick of success.

Addressing a press conference here today, ICC chief excective Malcom Speed was at his sarcastic best when he made light of BCCI's charges against the games premier body saying, ''I have an old-fashioned view. I judge sports organisations on the basis of three things -- how well the team performs, how they look after stake-holders in terms of facilities on the ground etc and how well they use resources like population to produce great cricketers.'' Making his point forcefully, Speed gave the example of New Zealand and said, ''Let us look at New Zealand They are in the semifinal with a population of four million. They don't have a lot of money, but they are consistent.'' That was not the end of Speed's sarcasam as he went on to add, ''India last won a cricketing event in 1983. I am very sure in 2007 it will be great if India win. The power that India has -- population and booming economy -- is being reflected in the performance of India.'' And then he hit where it hurts most saying, ''It helps to have money to do that but it is not always necessary.'' Speed said Ccricket needs more players, more countries and more money and the game can not be localised.

More money does not always produce the desired results, he observed.

On the much talked-about ICC agreement with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), Speed said there is no confusion about it.

He also asserted that no WADA was shabbily treated as has been alleged in the media reports.

''I realised there was an issue only when I read in the media -- issues like their airfare to India. ICC and WADA had agreed the airfare for the two officials from the gulf would be borne by them and included in the overall costs to be reimbursed by ICC.

''There was an agreement. I met the two officials. I asked them to go to the cricket ground with me and explain me the procedures start to finish, so it could be done in a way to satisfy them. They are used to going to athletics events. They are not familiar with cricket. It is important there is a chain of custody. We parted on the basis they are very confident on the integrity of the samples they are taking,'' he added.

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