Probe panel may give clean chit to Meiyappan

Board may send new schedule to CSA for the year-end tour

Amid speculation that the two-member internal probe panel of the Indian cricket board has cleared its chief N Srinivasan's son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan of betting charges, the BCCI mandarins will meet here on Sunday to discuss a host of issues, with the schedule for the upcoming tour to South Africa likely to come under the scanner.

The BCCI bosses categorically claimed they were yet to receive the report of the commission comprising retired judges T Jayaram Chouta and R Balasubramanian formed to probe the allegations of betting in the Indian Premier League against Chennai Super Kings official Meiyappan, besides other issues.

“We have not received any such report. I don’t how people are saying this,” BCCI acting chief Jagmohan Dalmiya told IANS, on the eve of the board’s Working Committee meeting.

However, a news channel quoted insiders in he BCCI as claiming that the report clearing Meiyappan was submitted on Thursday.

With BCCI chief Srinivasan stepping aside pending the probe, a clean chit for Meiyappan could clear the decks for his return to the top post and make him a strong candidate for re-election in September.

The schedule of the trip to South Africa beginning on Nov 21 has generated much interest in the wake of the appointment of ex-ICC Chief Executive Officer Haroon Lorgat as Cricket South Africa CEO as India not on the best of terms with Lorgat.

But with CSA going ahead with Lorgat’s appointment, there is speculation about the BCCI opting for a shortened tour.  While the original schedule comprised three Test matches, seven one-dayers and two Twenty20 Internationals, BCCI now seems keen to play two Tests, five ODIs and two T20 Internationals.

The BCCI is planning to send the alternative schedule to South Africa following the working committee parleys.

The working committee is also expected to finalise its decision on following up the report submitted by its Anti-Corruption and Security unit chief Ravi Sawani regarding the spot-fixing scandal which had snared three Rajashtan Royals cricketers, S Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan, who were arrested on May 16.

The BCCI was earlier slated to issue show cause notices to the three players, and call them for hearings before the disciplinary committee based on their reply. The committee could also deal with the Disciplinary Committee findings on the accusation of financial bunglings against former IPL commissioner Lalit Modi, besides the upper age limit of 60 for match referees in domestic matches.

On the agenda is the extension of contract of Indian team's support staff, except coach Duncan Fletcher, and the issues in the National Cricket Academy where the contracts of the key coaches are expiring July 31. There are indications that coaches Bharat Arun and Dinesh Nanavaty are not keen on getting extensions.