England training at the Oval before Thursday's Test against Sri Lanka The decision reached yesterday by the England Management Advisory Committee risks upsetting Jagmohan Dalmiya, the Indian president of the International Cricket Council, who had insisted that all nine Test-playing nations send their strongest sides to Dhaka for a competition aimed at raising millions for the development of the game.
David Graveney, England's chairman of selectors, said he did not know whether the omission of Stewart from the Bangladesh trip would be seen as a snub by the ICC: ``You will have to ask them.''
However the London headquarters of the ICC, David Richards, the chief executive, said: ``It is the sovereign right of countries to pick their own sides. The situation was probably anticipated since England have been running one-day and Test sides with different captains.
``We were informed in advance by England and they have indicated it will be the best available one-day side.''
Stewart's tenure of captaincy now extends to the World Cup in England next May and June. Graveney said this long-term commitment had been taken in order to end ``speculation and doubt'' and indicated the committee were ``very impressed with the way Stewart has taken to the job.''
When Stewart had been asked whether he felt he could continue indefinitely in the role of captain and batsman/wicketkeeper allrounder, Graveney said he had replied: ``I will let you know when I am tired.''
Stewart and the Ashes party leave for Australia on Oct 23. The one-day side depart for a week's preparation in Calcutta on Oct 16 before the Dhaka knock-out tournament which runs from Oct 24-Nov 1.
The captain for Bangladesh, along with the team, will be announced next week at the same time as the Ashes party.
Graveney said the side for Dhaka ``will be a high-quality one-day team, full of players desperate to make an impact.'' But given the complexity of simultaneously putting out two international sides, it will be difficult for England to live up to their commitment to the ICC of sending a full-strength team to Bangladesh.
Graveney himself described it as ``a very complicated situation and very difficult to unravel.'' He said there had been ``no question of fighting'' within The Management advisory committee over the issue of where Stewart should go.
``There were differing opinions but in the end it was unanimous. I don't think a vote was taken.
``Anyone who plays in Dhaka would miss Perth and would not have experience there until it came to the second Test,'' Graveney said.