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The executive board of the International Cricket Council (ICC), when it meets next week at Kuala Lumpur, would be discussing tougher measures on players discipline in an effort to give greater powers to the match referees.

According to the executive board briefing note, released by ICC's communication manager from London, the ICC would be debating on the possibility of removing the suspended suspensions and fine limits on bans for players found guilty of serious breaches of the ICC Code of Conduct. At present, players can be fined up to 75 per cent of their match fees and banned for a maximum of three Tests and six one- day internationals.

"The boards will be asked to approve the removal of suspended suspensions, upper limits on financial penalties and time limits on bans for players found guilty of breach of ICC code of conduct," the agenda says. However, the document doesn't reveal what would be the penalties replacing the existing ones.

The officials of the boards will be briefed on the elite panel of eight Test umpires who will spring into action from the beginning of April 2002. The number of umpires is planned to increase in the second and third years of the system.

Two independent umpires will stand in each Test and one of the 20 members (two from each full member) of the international panel in all one-day internationals. The ICC also plans to curtail its long list of match referee to just five full time officials.

The process of reviewing Kenya's application for Test status will also be progressed by the executive board's approval for an Inspection delegation to visit the country and review its cricketing facilities and infrastructure. The representing boards will also be asked to approve penalties for countries that knowingly fail to fulfil their fixture commitments under the ICC Future Tours Programme.

A financial penalty of $2million, or if greater, the budgeted gross revenue for the tour, is proposed for payment by the non- complying country. For Test tours, the non- offending country would also receive two ICC Test Championship points, as though it had won the series.

An ICC Disputes Committee would be set up to adjudicate contested cases. Countries would be exempted from penalties where fixtures had been cancelled due to force majeure, natural disaster, war or where the safety of players and officials was proven to be at risk.

The ICC will also discuss the possibility of launching of a ICC one-day international championship equivalent to the ICC Test championship. A number of options were being considered, with a final recommendation to be made to the February executive board meeting, for adoption and introduction by April next year.

The executive board will also be asked to approve a five- year strategic plan covering the years 2001 to 2005. This will act as a blueprint for the development of the organization into a modern and powerful world governing body. Among many recommendations, the plan envisages a doubling to staff employed by the ICC in London and Monaco over the next 12 to 18 months.

© Dawn