SL says it had to abstain from ICC vote

We were banking on South Africa’s opposition: Sports Minister.

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka has defended its decision to tacitly support a controversial shake-up of cricket’s world body, saying it was left with no choice after South Africa broke ranks over the move.

Sri Lanka, Pakistan and South Africa all opposed the revamp of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) governance and structure when it was debated last month.

But Sri Lanka decided to abstain from voting on the move during an ICC board meeting on Saturday, along with Pakistan, after South Africa switched to vote in favour.

Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage accused South Africa of letting Sri Lanka down at the ICC meeting, saying "we had no choice but to abstain".

“We were banking on South Africa’s opposition,” he said. “When Haroon Lorgat [of South Africa] said they were backing the proposals, we had no choice but to abstain.”

'We did not sign any agreement with PCB'

The Secretary of Sri Lanka Cricket Nishantha Ranatunga stated that his board did not make any agreement with Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on their stance of opposing the ‘Big Three’.

In an interview, Ranatunga claimed that the joint stand by the boards helped in bringing changes to the position paper produced by Indian, English and Australian boards.

“The stance taken by Pakistan and Sri Lanka jointly helped in modifying the proposal, the one presented in Singapore was thus much more acceptable for us,” he said, while also appreciating the efforts of the deposed PCB Chief Zaka Ashraf.

We did not form alliances or cut deals: CSA

Cricket South Africa (CSA) President Chris Nenzani defended the board’s stance for supporting the ‘Big Three’ proposals and going in favour of the ICC revamp.

“I would like to correct the misleading perception that we changed our vote at the last moment,” he said in a media statement on Tuesday. “That is not the case.

“We did not form alliances or cut deals with any other country. I did attend a meeting with the representatives of Sri Lanka and Pakistan ahead of the meeting so that they were aware of our position.

“What we have achieved is not the ideal outcome, but it is the best possible one that was available.”

Published in The Express Tribune, February 12^th, 2014.

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