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NEW DELHI, Thursday (AFP) - The stand-off between the International Cricket Council (ICC) and India deepened further Thursday when the sport's governing body rejected the Indian demand to change the panel appointed to probe the Mike Denness affair.

The ICC had named two former cricketers, Majid Khan of Pakistan and Andrew Hilditch of Australia, and Justice Albie Sachs of South Africa on the newly-constituted Referees Commission.

The Commission is to probe the penalties imposed by Denness on six Indian cricketers, including superstar Sachin Tendulkar, during the Port Elizabeth Test against South Africa in November.

India, furious about the penalties, forced hosts South Africa to dump Denness as match referee for the final Test, leading the ICC to declare the match unofficial.

The ICC picked Majid, Hilditch and Sachs even though India had rejected all three and instead nominated former Test captains Richie Benaud, Ian Chappell (both Australia) and Imran Khan (Pakistan) besides Justice Ahmed Ibrahim of Zimbabwe.

Indian cricket chief Jagmohan Dalmiya wanted the panel changed, saying India's views were not taken into account.

ICC president Malcolm Gray, however, rejected India's request on Thursday and ordered the commission to hold its first meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa on February 23.

"There is a growing urgency for this Commission to meet to discuss the detailed and complex issues involved, and to produce its report in time for the ICC Executive Board meeting in mid March," Gray said in a statement.

"The objections raised by Mr J. Dalmiya, have been carefully considered but we retain every confidence in the ability of this panel to complete its task in a thoroughly professional fashion."

India's response to the latest snub from the ICC will be known by the weekend amidst media speculation that the Indian board will not accept the findings of the Commission.

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