Stubborn BCCI put India-England series in danger; ECB asked to bear their own expenses

New Delhi: Earlier, the series with New Zealand, now with England – the war of affairs between Lodha Panel and BCCI has been posing a threat to Indian cricket ever since Supreme Court's order to implement the RM Lodha proposed reforms.

In the latest developments, Anurag Thakur and secretary Ajay Shirke is putting the entire England series in jeopardy as the duo are yet to file the compliance report and appear in person before the panel.

Ex-chief justice, RM Lodha-elected panel is still waiting for the affidavits from Thakur and Shirke.

"Both Thakur and Shirke haven't followed the SC order and haven't filed the compliance report. Thakur was also supposed to furnish undertaking equivocally to the committee on how he would be implementing the reforms. That has also not been done. The England tour has been put in jeopardy by Thakur and Shirke," a source close to the committee said. The panel has also asked them to submit Deloitte report on state associations by November 8.

However, BCCI sources said that the last date for filing the affidavits is November 5 and there is still time to file.

Ajay Shirke, reportedly wrote a letter to the England Cricket board asking them to bear their own expenses as the Supreme Court has put financial restrictions on them.

"Dear Phil, I warmly welcome you for the upcoming cricket series. I am however at great pains to inform you that the BCCI is at present not in a position to execute the MoU between the Indian Cricket Board and the ECB. This is due to restrictions on execution of contracts imposed on the BCCI by a Court order.

"A Committee has been appointed that is also to oversee financial transactions of the BCCI. The BCCI has referred this issue to the Committee appointed by the Supreme Court (Lodha Committee) on 28.10.2016 itself and sought urgent permission for execution of the MoU. Thereafter I have also sent the hon'ble Committee a request again today. However, the Committee while seeking further details a short while ago earlier today, has not yet granted us this permission.

"Certain courtesies such as hotel, travel and various other arrangements have been extended to you on arrival of the team in India. However, till the MoU is executed, the BCCI is not in a position to commit to paying for the same. Please make arrangements to remit such payments. The BCCI will inform you as and when further instructions are received by the BCCI from the Lodha Committee.

"I apologise on behalf of the BCCI for inconvenience that is being caused."

However, an ECB spokesman has said that since the England team is already in India, there won't be any changes made to the existing itinerary and the series will go ahead as planned.

"We are already in India, there is no change to any plans and we are looking forward to the series against India," said the ECB spokesman.

The BCCI had earlier written to the Supreme Court appointed Lodha committee to guide on the terms and conditions and manner of execution of the agreement with the ECB as it "entails an commitment on behalf of the board for incurring expenses for the English team."

The Lodha committee made it clear to the BCCI in an communication earlier in the day that "the proposed MoU between BCCI and ECB concerns bilateral cricketing policy, the formulation of which is not a part of the mandate of the Committee".

But it is to be noted that the court order does not bar the BCCI from executing a cricket tour and paying for the visiting team from its rich reserves.