'It Would Not Be Recognised As A Test Match'

The ICC has reiterated its decision to stand by the appointment of match referee Mike Denness for the third Test match between South Africa and India.

Rejecting the proposed course of action agreed between the United Cricket Board of South Africa (UCBSA) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to replace Mr Denness, ICC Chief Executive Officer Malcolm Speed said: "Mike Denness was properly appointed by the ICC for this series and approved by both South Africa and India. No cricket Board has the authority to remove Mr Denness from his position as match referee.

"The ICC cannot accede to demands for his removal. To remove him under this kind of pressure would be to disregard the rules agreed by all member countries and set an unacceptable future precedent," added Mr Speed.

It has been suggested in South Africa that a replacement match could be staged if the Test does not go ahead. If this were to happen it would not be recognised by the ICC as a Test match. It would not be officiated by an ICC referee or umpire and neither the result nor statistics would be included in Test match records.

The disciplinary action taken by Mike Denness in Port Elizabeth will continue to stand. Specifically, this would mean that the one match ban served on Virender Sehwag would now apply to the first Test match against England in Mohali in December.