BBC SPORT | Cricket | Denness probe delayed

The International Cricket Council has been forced to postpone for a second time the inaugural meeting of the panel commissioned to investigate the Mike Denness affair.

The Code of Conduct commission was due to meet in London on 6-7 June, but has now been delayed for at least three months by the chairman as Denness is to undergo surgery.

"Michael Beloff QC considered his attendance to be crucial for the committee to be able to reach firm and fair conclusions," an ICC statement read.

Scotsman Denness caused a rift between the ICC and the Board of Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) when he penalised six Indian players during the India-South Africa Test match in Port Elizabeth last November.

Angry Indians burnt effigies of Denness

India's outrage prompted the United Cricket Board of South Africa to replce Denness with Denis Lindsay for the final game of the series.

The ICC's response was to remove game's official status from the match.

But they agreed to set up a panel to look into the Denness affair to defuse tension, which at the time threatened to split world cricket.

The composition of the panel itself then became a controversial subject.

The ICC appointed a three-man panel composed of South African judge Albie Sachs, ex-Pakistan skipper Majid Khan and former Australian Test opener Andrew Hilditch.

They were originally due to meet in February but the hearing was called off.

The Commission panel now includes Beloff and ICC directors Peter Chingoka of Zimbabwe, Bob Merriman of Australia and Wes Hall of the West Indies.


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