Ex-BCCI secy questioned BCCI's expertise to host series: ECB
Former BCCI secretary Ajay Shirke reportedly wrote to England Cricket Board President Giles Clarke questioning the "BCCI and relevant association's expertise to manage security and safety of players". Clarke wrote to BCCI CEO Rahul Johri seeking clarity whether the England team's security and daily allowances would be taken care of. Johri replied assuring the series would go ahead as planned.
Days after the Supreme Court sacked Board of Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Ajay Shirke, it has emerged that the Pune-based administrator made several phone calls to England and Wales Cricket Board's (ECB) president Giles Clarke telling him that the limited-overs series could be in jeopardy. However, Shirke, speaking to India Today, said he was only trying to address the ECB's concerns regarding the tour."My response will be irrelevant. But I suggest that since there was a call made by me to cancel the tour, you seek a clarification from Mr. Giles as to what I told him. Giles is a friend of mine. I live in England and I not only talk to him frequently, I also meet him. Of course I made a call to him," Shirke told India Today."Giles has simply said that please confirm that everything will be fine. He has not said that the England team will not be given courtesies. He said that please confirm that the England team will be looked after in the usual manner. Anybody will have that doubt if one fine morning, a board is rendered headless from top to bottom."There was no board at that time. So, naturally Giles will talk to me, ask me. I will also talk to him and clarify him. I have told him that please see that everything is in place," Shirke added. India and England play the ODIs and three T20Is starting January 15.Shirke was removed from his post along with president Anurag Thakur by the Supreme Court on January 2 due to their inability to implement the Lodha Panel's recommendations in the BCCI.Shirke's call led to ECB chief Clarke sending an email to BCCI CEO Rahul Johri, expressing concerns about the hospitality of the visiting England team.Clarke asked Johri if the England team would be looked after properly by the hosts."I have received calls from Mr Shirke who I understand is no longer the Honorary Secretary of BCCI. Can you please confirm to me that the England team will continue to be looked after by the BCCI in the usual fashion, with proper security, player daily allowance payments, hotel bills covered and the like, with transport organised at all times"Obviously it is entirely a matter for BCCI where matches are played,but please advise soonest that the schedule will be adhered to, or any changes," Clarke wrote in the mail.Johri replied to Clarke the same day and assured to him that the series would go ahead as planned. (So called obstructions removed, sure Lodha reforms will be implemented smoothly: Ajay Shirke to India Today)"Your team has arrived and settled well. The BCCI has announced the teams for the warm-up matches, the ODIs and the T20 matches, the ticket sales for which have kicked off with the first game sold out, as of last week. The other venues have shown similar uptake in anticipation of an exciting contest between our teams."As you must have followed, the Supreme Court has delivered their verdict early this week, and we are expected to work with the court-appointed administrators, who will be appointed by the 19th of this month and till such time, we are making every effort to ensure that the matches live up to the expectations of all our stakeholders, including ECB."We have been in touch with all the hosting centres and they have expressed confidence that the games will be managed successfully, just like always, and as on date, we do not anticipate any form of disruption to the series Rest assured, I will personally monitor the series as it unfolds and will keep you posted on the progress," Johri said in his reply.However, Johri, in another email to Clarke on January 7, asked the ECB chief to reveal what Shirke had "communicated" in his "calls".