ACC to conduct its own rankings

Chris Dhambarage

The Asian Cricket Council in a major development of the region have decided to have their own team and individual rankings while keeping in line with the International Cricket Council (ICC) Rankings following yesterday's ACC Executive Board Members meeting in Colombo.

The meeting was chaired by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) Interim Committee Chairman Arjuna Ranatunga along with Kangadaran Mathivanan Secretary SLC.

Some of the other top cricket administrators who attended this meeting were Indian Cricket Board secretary Niranjan Shah and President elect Shashank Manohar, Pakistan Cricket Board president Dr. Nasim Ashraf, ACC's Chief Executive Officer Ashraful Haq and Bangladesh Cricket Board president M. Abdul Aziz.

In addition Sri Lanka's first Test captain and the present SLC Director Operations Bandula Warnapura was appointed as the ACC Development Manager for a period of two years. This post was earlier held by Sultan Rana who has decided to return back to serve in the Pakistan Cricket Board.

The ACC will form their own rankings from next month and will pick the Best batsman, Best bowler and Best all rounder in the test and one day internationals annually. The rankings will also combine with women's cricket.

In addition the ACC will annually felicitate four former test players and four officials who have done yeoman services for their country and the region.

This program will be launched at the ACC's 25th anniversary celebrations which will be held on July 5 prior to the Asia Cup final in Karachi. In fact Pakistan will take over the Chairmanship of the Asian Cricket Council for the next two years with Dr. Nasim Ashraf succeeding Ranatunga in the chair. The Annual General Meeting of the ACC will be held in Pakistan during the Asia Cup which is scheduled to be held from June 24 to July 6.

Ranatunga who was appointed as Interim Committee Chairman in January this year was the ACC Chairman for a short period of five months with Jayantha Dharmadasa the former SLC Interim Committee Chairman having served the majority of the period of one and a half years after he had succeeded India's Sharad Pawar in 2006.

Representatives from Malaysia, Nepal, Singapore, United Arab Emirates, Brunei, Bhutan, Papua New Guinea and Thailand also participated in this meeting.