ICC announces Champions Trophy to be dedicated to Spirit of Cricket

[Jersey #10]

International Cricket Council (ICC) Chief Executive Officer Malcolm Speed today announced this year's ICC Champions Trophy in India will be dedicated to the Spirit of Cricket. Speaking in Mumbai on Thursday, Mr Speed said: "From the time the tournament gets underway on 7 October until the final on 5 November, the eyes of the cricketing world will be trained upon India. "That level of scrutiny, something that cricket is well used to these days, can be viewed as a hardship but it can also be seen as an opportunity for us all to show how great our sport really is. "Cricket is unique in the way it embraces a sense of decency through the Laws of the Game, including a specific section on The Spirit of Cricket that stands for tradition, respect, fair play and excellence. "And so today I call upon all players and officials to pledge themselves to use the ICC Champions Trophy as a springboard in the quest to uphold that Spirit and, by doing so, show the world why cricket is such a magnificent sport." Mr Speed said the ICC has already approached a host of top players and officials to support the concept and all have agreed without hesitation. As the tournament draws nearer it is hoped that more will join in, he added. Mr Speed said no players or officials from England or Pakistan have yet been approached for their support as they are involved in an ongoing ODI series but the ICC looks forward to them backing the Spirit of Cricket at the ICC Champions Trophy. The ICC's decision to promote the Spirit of Cricket on an ongoing basis has been planned since July as part of the roll-out of the organisation's new Strategic Plan, which runs from 2006 - 2010. Those already committed to try and adhere to the Spirit of Cricket at The ICC Champions Trophy include: * India's captain Rahul Dravid and opening batsmen Virender Sehwag; * Sri Lanka's wicketkeeper-batsman Kumar Sangakkara; * Brian Lara, the West Indies captain who lifted the ICC Champions Trophy at The Brit Oval two years ago; * Australia fast bowler Brett Lee; * Bangladesh's captain Habibul Bashar and coach Dav Whatmore * Prosper Utseya, the captain of Zimbabwe, and Kevin Curran, the side's coach; * New Zealand fast bowler Shane Bond; and * Shaun Pollock, the South Africa all-rounder and former captain Mr Speed added: "I am not advocating a sanitisation of the game at the ICC Champions Trophy, far from it. Everyone wants to see passion from players as well as a sense of enjoyment that often comes from harmless banter between them. "But what I am advocating is for players and officials to adhere to the ideals that this great game has been built upon for over 300 years. "How can they do that? Well, the Spirit of Cricket refers to the need to show respect. "Respect for your opponents, respect for your own captain and team, respect for the role of the umpires and respect for the game's traditional values which embody that sense of fair play. "At the same time, it is against the Spirit of the Game to dispute an umpire's decision, to abuse an opponent or umpire, to appeal knowing a batsman is not out, to appeal aggressively or to distract a batsman. "Adhering to the Spirit of Cricket at this tournament, in the full gaze of the public, will be the best way to safeguard the game's long-term future by showing everyone that cricket is a sport that is worth encouraging our children to play because it fosters not only competition but also fairness," he added. Rahul Dravid said: "This is a fantastic idea as the Spirit of Cricket is very important. "We must all be aware of and conscious of the great traditions that we represent when we take the field and perform in front of the public. "It is vital that the right spirit is shown by players, officials and supporters so that the ICC Champions Trophy reflects the true spirit of our great game of cricket." Kumar Sangakkara added: "There is a huge following for the game in Asia and around the world for an event of this magnitude, lots of children who like the game and the players, and what they see out there is what they think is the right spirit. "That is why it is important that during the ICC Champions Trophy, when the world is watching, everybody should get together and send out a message that while cricket is a tough sport you do not need to have that extra arrogance that makes you an unpleasant competitor. "So, I think the message that needs to be sent out is to play tough, play to win but play fair. If you play the game in the right spirit you will keep the honour of your country, your team and your game intact when you walk away from the boundary line." Mr Speed also said the ICC Champions Trophy will be used to help raise awareness of the impact of HIV and AIDS on people throughout the cricket-playing world. "Over 25 per cent of all people living with HIV and AIDS live within the 10 Members that will participate in the ICC Champions Trophy. India alone has around five million people afflicted by this terrible illness," he said. "We will use the ICC Champions Trophy 2006 to once again draw attention to this issue, as we have done for the past three years. "This is something cricket is well-placed to do in the light of the game's profile and position within the communities we represent," added Mr Speed. for more info on spirit of cricket -- >cricinfo-spirit of cricket courtesy - cricket.org