ICC has stood by match referee Mike Denness after the United Cricket Board of South Africa and the Board of Control for Cricket in India agreed to replace him with Denis Lindsay ahead of Friday's third Test at Centurion. In a statement, Malcolm Speed, the chief executive of ICC, said: "Mike Denness was properly appointed by the ICC for this series and approved by both South Africa and India. No cricket board has the authority to remove Mr Denness from his position as match referee.

"The ICC cannot accede to demands for his removal. To remove him under this kind of pressure would be to disregard the rules agreed by all member countries and set an unacceptable future precedent."

Speed also confirmed that any Test refereed by Lindsay would not be officially recognised, with the result and statistics not being included in any formal Test records.

If that does happen, the one-match ban imposed by Denness on Virender Sehwag would instead apply to the first Test against England at Mohali next month.

While describing ICC's decision to derecognise the Test as a "position of principle," Speed said that the governing body was not considering suspension or financial penalties against the Indian Board.

"We understand that the BCCI has a position on the matter and that they are under pressure from the government and the public back home. We also understand the financial compulsions of the South African Cricket Board," he said.

Speed said ICC had no objection the game being played as long as it was a "normal" first class game between two countries.

He ruled out a vertical divide in international cricket, saying that most cricket nations had been supportive of ICC's action.

© Wisden CricInfo Ltd