The Hindu : World Cup: England's appeal fails

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Feb 08, 2003

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World Cup: England's appeal fails

By G. Viswanath

Cape Town Feb. 7. The ICC Appeal Commissioner, Justice Albie Sachs, has ruled out relocation of England's World Cup match against Zimbabwe at Harare on February 12. The England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) appealed to the ICC Appeal Commissioner against the decision of the Technical Committee, which had rejected its appeal on Thursday to relocate the match to a venue in South Africa. "There are neither procedural nor substantive grounds for overturning the decision of the Technical Committee and substituting one of my own.

"The appeal (of the ECB) must fail,'' Justice Sachs said.

AFP, AP report:

The ECB has no right of appeal against the ruling of Mr. Sachs, one of three World Cup commissioners, acting as the tournament's `court of last resort'.

Now England must either go ahead with Thursday's match as scheduled or withdraw and be docked four World Cup points, as well as risk imposition of a substantial fine by the International Cricket Council, for breaking their contractual obligations.

England spokesman, Andrew Walpole, said they had no immediate official comment to make about Mr. Sachs' decision.

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