Controversy as cricket electors change votes

[Karan114]

Controversy as cricket electors change votes BY NEIL MANTHORP, APRIL 30 2013, 07:54 ORGANISING and booking a travel schedule to an increasingly large section of the world leads you, more often than not, to the national airline of the United Arab Emirates. It has comfortable seats, an extraordinary entertainment selection, good food and service. But most importantly, it is able to undercut almost all its opposition through sheer weight of sales. International travel is expensive, so when people are able to choose an option that is both comfortable and the least expensive, the additional time it takes to get from A to B via a stopover in Dubai doesn’t seem to inconvenience them at all. You can always wander about, dazed and confused, and buy duty-free stuff you don’t need. A senior Emirates captain who emigrated to that city a decade ago said on a recent return to the Mother City that "world domination is the aim, and by that they mean 80% of all international air travel". Is that greedy or irresponsible? Perhaps, if you’re a committed environmentalist or don’t believe in the principles of a capitalist free market. There is another form of world domination that is considerably less edifying, however. It is the one driven by the lust for unlimited power. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) already holds the purse strings of the global game and is able to influence its subordinate nations into voting whichever way it sees fit on a host of issues which, in theory, are administered by the game’s supposed global administrators, the International Cricket Council (ICC). The one area the BCCI has not been able to control is the vote of the game’s most important stakeholders — the players. Up until now, that is. Playing conditions, proposed law changes and everything else to do with what happens on the field is debated by the ICC’s cricket committee, on which the players have two representatives. They are Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara and the president of the Federation of International Cricketers Associations, former Australia spinner Tim May. Those men were elected by the players from around the world through the votes of their Test captains. The BCCI recently put Laxman Sivaramakrishnan up as a candidate to stand against May. Nine Test caps and 16 one-day internationals suggest there is nothing wrong with the man’s credentials as a cricketer. Except that he is employed by the Chennai Super Kings, the Indian Premier League franchise owned by the BCCI’s president, N Srinivasan. The players of the world, judging by their votes, were unimpressed. When the confidential votes of the world’s 10 Test captains were voted, they numbered 9:1 in favour of retaining May. It was then that the BCCI started work. The acting CEO of Cricket SA (CSA) was phoned to ask which way Graeme Smith had voted. He replied that Smith’s vote was private, was handled by the South African Cricketers Association and had nothing to do with CSA. Other responses were less forthright. The West Indies Cricket Board were asked to "persuade" Darren Sammy to change his vote. Sri Lanka’s Angelo Matthews was leant on, Bangladesh’s Mushfiqur Rahim had his arm twisted by his board and Misbah-ul-Haq was reminded to think about where his bread was buttered. At the last recount of the votes, Sivaramakrishnan and May were deadlocked at five votes apiece. Why, you may reasonably ask, are Srinivasan and the BCCI so keen to get their man on the cricket committee? Apart from the obvious — it means yet more power and influence — perhaps there is another motive. Ask yourself which aspect of the game on the field currently annoys India the most, and the answer may be the umpire decision review system (DRS). Sangakkara’s playing commitments mean he cannot dedicate sufficient time to his committee commitments. He has relied on May to harvest global player opinion. If May is removed, Sivaramakrishnan may be able to tell the committee that "the players do not want DRS any more". And that could be that. http://www.bdlive.co.za/sport/columnists/2013/04/30/controversy-as-cricket-electors-change-votes

[Junyfan]

pathetic,

[Sachin=GOD]

Srini's chamchas on ICF will still say that he is innocent and has the best interests of Indian cricket in mind.

[VRV Singh]

Eurgh that is grim. And oily rat as well???

[Malcolm Merlyn]

As much as i hate Srini.Well votes are influenced everywhere. Secondly DRS needs to be passed at the Exeecutive committee of ICC.The cricket committe can do rat's ass about it.

[G_B_]

I dont like Srinivasan at all. But this Niel Manthorp will blame the BCCI if there is a flood in south america. The writer of the article is unashamasedly anti BCCI and anti India even before the BCCI gained power. Would not read too much into his version of events.

[G_B_]

Plus surely shiva is not employed by the CSK and is a commentator? can any csk fan confirm this? On the bcci payrolls yes. Not on the CSK payrolls.

[Karan114]

I dont like Srinivasan at all. But this Niel Manthorp will blame the BCCI if there is a flood in south america. The writer of the article is unashamasedly anti BCCI and anti India even before the BCCI gained power. Would not read too much into his version of events.

I've followed Manthorp for years too. He's pretty critical of CSA as well - in fact several times more than he is of the BCCI (and its true, he doesn't like the BCCI - not many like shameless bullies, its not really about jealousy about Indian success for most people). But let's shoot the messenger as usual.

[G_B_]

Neil Manthorp is being a rank scaremonger, the South African foot soldier of the vilification campaign run ceaselessly by UK and Australian media. If people come together to vote then there will be canvassing and there will be lobbying. Does Manthorp understand how politics works? This man will be scandalised if he were ever to visit the K street, Washington DC. Manthorp would have had a story if there was a case of BCCI offering financial perks or something in lieu of votes. He doesn't and he should shut up. Next, the story itself. Manthorp says the BCCI called up CSA to enquire about Smith's vote. But if the 9-1 voting result was known then why would the BCCI need to call up CSA in the first place? It's obvious everyone bar Dhoni voted for May. Something doesn't compute?

+1 @Karan its not an issue of the messenger. Does his article have any facts? Its vague. I dont think FICA are even active in India Zim BD or Pak . So how does leaning on any captain work in these countries work when FICA does not even represent the players there? Surely a fact Manthorp has failed to mention. There are more first class players in India Pak ZIm and BD than the rest. http://www.thepca.co.uk/fica.html

[Switchblade]

Sivaramakrishnan set for ICC panel http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci-icc/content/current/story/634249.html Laxman Sivaramakrishnan, the former India legspinner, is set to join Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara as a players' representative on the ICC cricket committee, replacing the Federation of International Cricketers' Associations (FICA) chief executive, Tim May. Sivaramakrishnan, currently a commentator on Indian television, is learnt to have beaten May in a fiercely contested election that saw intense lobbying by both sides. The ICC board had proposed three names - those of Sangakkara, May and Sivaramakrishnan - for the two players' representative positions. In the election, held last week, Sangakkara was re-elected unanimously as the sole current player while Sivaramakrishnan is believed to have received six of the ten votes in the other slot, for former players. The representatives are elected by the captains of the ten Test-playing countries, who cast their votes in a secret online ballot. Sivaramakrishnan has been backed by the BCCI, which, ESPNcricinfo has confirmed, contacted at least one other member country "requesting" support. He is also believed to have been backed by one more country, independent of the BCCI. Incidentally, though he has been elected as a players' representative, India has no recognised players' association. May, the former Australia offspinner, has been the public voice of players' concerns globally since establishing FICA in 1998. He was, however, handicapped by the fact that FICA is recognised by only five Full Members of the ICC: Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa and West Indies, the first four of whom are understood to have supported his nomination. Apart from FICA's limited global influence, one factor that is believed to have gone against May was his sustained criticism of the running of Twenty20 tournaments including the IPL, Sri Lankan Premier League and the Bangladesh Premier League. It is believed that this won him few friends on the Asian boards. Tony Irish, the chief executive of the South African players association, criticised the BCCI's interventionist approach to the election process. "It's a sad day for the governance of cricket when players aren't allowed to freely elect their representatives," Irish was quoted as saying. "Cricket is a global game and the decisions that are made should be global decisions for the benefit of the global game, not for the benefit of one country, whichever country that is." However, a member of a board that voted for Sivaramakrishnan contested that view. "It is disingenuous for FICA or its supporters to protest because in an election, candidates canvas votes and FICA did the same thing on Tim May's behalf. The fact is that May didn't have the support of many captains and that showed in the votes. Suggestions that May had the support of nine captains to start with are completely baseless." The ICC cricket committee is a leading decision-maker for the game's governing body in on-field matters, including playing conditions such as the use of the DRS to review umpiring decisions. It is headed by Anil Kumble, the former Indian captain, and includes Andrew Strauss and Mark Taylor (past players), Gary Kirsten (Full Member team coach representative), David White (Member board representative), Steve Davis (umpires' representative), Ranjan Madugalle (match referees' representative), John Stephenson (MCC representative), David Kendix (statistician), Trent Johnston (Associate representative), Ravi Shastri (media representative) and Clare Connor (women's representative).

[Precambrian]

70% of cricket's revenue comes from India. Yet they have just a tenth of voting power. Just does not make sense. India should amend the ICC constitution to make a voting college system which is proportional to revenue generated.

[Crookbond]

FICA call for ethics enquiry into May's ICC exit http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci-icc/content/current/story/634439.html

"In light of media reports that five ICC full member boards applied direct pressure on their captains to amend their votes in the recent elections, FICA's official stance is that these allegations must warrant careful and independent scrutiny," Smith said. "Especially because we understand ICC specifically instructed the Boards not to interfere in the voting process. "The actions, allegedly instigated by BCCI, are a timely and stark reminder of the very serious shortcomings in governance at ICC highlighted more than a year ago by the Woolf Report and about which ICC has done nothing in the intervening period. "It is further apparent from statements made by unnamed ICC Board sources overnight that they are trying to position the involved Boards' actions as 'lobbying', but there should be a very clear distinction made between a candidate lobbying for a vote and an employer threatening an employee to change their vote."

[Malcolm Merlyn]

Tim May crying...

[G_B_]

hmm lets look at the captains Darren Sammy, big fat IPL contract with more to come having a good time at the sunrisers MSD will always vote for India BD and Pak, May came out with a lot of statements of players staying away from these countries. If i was Misbah or the BD captain clearly i would not want May. Regardless of Siva being good or not. SL, again Mathews has a big fat IPL contract. I doubt the BCCI pressured anybody. If they just requested them to vote for Siva these guys would have done it. Sammy especially seems to be having the time of his life in India based on his twitter feed. Loving it in Hyderabad.

[Crookbond]

What do IPL contracts have to do with the not voting for Tim May? On the other hand, you WILL vote for Tim May. Notice how the FICA at May's helm started legal proceedings against BPL; when they were not paid. There's also a difference between lobbying (which some members acting like a Ph.D in History from Columbia) versus blackmail. May has diligently stood on for players rights through most part of the decade. If anything, FICA is a security and even from a player's point of view monopoly is bad.

[G_B_]

What do IPL contracts have to do with the not voting for Tim May? On the other hand, you WILL vote for Tim May. Notice how the FICA at May's helm started legal proceedings against BPL; when they were not paid. There's also a difference between lobbying (which some members acting like a Ph.D in History from Columbia) versus blackmail. May has diligently stood on for players rights through most part of the decade. If anything, FICA is a security and even from a player's point of view monopoly is bad.

Its not Tim May per say. They would have voted against anybody. Lets keep in mind this is just some run of the mill committee post which is headed by Kumble. So its not as if we are taking about CEO of the ICC. For all we know Srini gave Siva a gift for serving Indian cements for 16 years or so. May and FICA will continue to exist and support the players they represent. This vote changes nothing. A trivial post on a trivial committee. Its like if a friend of mine asked me to vote for a particular band etc. A trivial matter. I would vote for it just to keep the relation between us good. Thats where the IPL comes in. Your earning good money and enjoying yourself out there (as Sammy is), keep the relations sweet.

[Crookbond]

Its not Tim May per say. They would have voted against anybody. Lets keep in mind this is just some run of the mill committee post which is headed by Kumble. So its not as if we are taking about CEO of the ICC. For all we know Srini gave Siva a gift for serving Indian cements for 16 years or so. May and FICA will continue to exist and support the players they represent. This vote changes nothing. A trivial post on a trivial committee. Its like if a friend of mine asked me to vote for a particular band etc. A trivial matter. I would vote for it just to keep the relation between us good. Thats where the IPL comes in. Your earning good money and enjoying yourself out there (as Sammy is), keep the relations sweet.

You are missing one key point - players would like to select a representative who stands for players concerns and not for their boards. The fact that BCCI had to "threaten" boards to change votes says enough how trivial the matter is.

[G_B_]

You are missing one key point - players would like to select a representative who stands for players concerns and not for their boards. The fact that BCCI had to "threaten" boards to change votes says enough how trivial the matter is.

how is that a fact? Does anybody have any proof? All i have read in all these reports is "sources". Which are vague. The only real fact is that Siva won. Maybe we need to rely on some facts or learn them. (A) Did the 9-1 vote actually take place? and i mean officially with paperwork or some digital record of the votes. The captains are in different locations. Smith in London and Sammy in India. Misbah in Pakistan. How did they vote? Via letter phone conference? Was there a record. (B) Ask the captains themselves. Did they actually first vote for May in the 9-1 thing or did they vote 6-4. Somebody like Smith for eg will come out and say I voted twice/I voted once. If he voted once that should be the end of the matter. A lot of the "facts" rest on the vague accusations of Niel Manthrope. I have not seen any test captain from the 10 come out and say anything to suggest the double vote has taken place. Somebody like Cook who owes nothing to BCCI has not said anything. What does that tell you? Somebody should ask Cook, who has never played any IPL and is protected by the ECB if he was asked to vote twice. If that is indeed ICC policy to confirm the votes.

[Straight Drive]

Politics happened in cricket even when western countries had more say in the ICC committee. Now BCCI has more power due to influence of revenue generated from Indian crickets participation in various tournaments globally as well as locally. So both parties are not saints. This is India's (read BCCI) time to rule the world cricket and influence the politics. One day the western countries will have more say and Asian countries will suffer.The power dynamics will change over a course of time as we have seen in the past.

[Crookbond]

how is that a fact? Does anybody have any proof? All i have read in all these reports is "sources". Which are vague. The only real fact is that Siva won. Maybe we need to rely on some facts or learn them. (A) Did the 9-1 vote actually take place? and i mean officially with paperwork or some digital record of the votes. The captains are in different locations. Smith in London and Sammy in India. Misbah in Pakistan. How did they vote? Via letter phone conference? Was there a record. (B) Ask the captains themselves. Did they actually first vote for May in the 9-1 thing or did they vote 6-4. Somebody like Smith for eg will come out and say I voted twice/I voted once. If he voted once that should be the end of the matter. A lot of the "facts" rest on the vague accusations of Niel Manthrope. I have not seen any test captain from the 10 come out and say anything to suggest the double vote has taken place. Somebody like Cook who owes nothing to BCCI has not said anything. What does that tell you? Somebody should ask Cook, who has never played any IPL and is protected by the ECB if he was asked to vote twice. If that is indeed ICC policy to confirm the votes.

The proof of burden is on you as it is on me. You have to prove to me that the elections were fair which wouldn't require the launch of an ethics probe - that should be you enough indication. It is not a 'source'.