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Outgoing International Cricket Council (ICC) president Malcolm Gray hasadmitted that the contracts controversy was laced with evils like “greed andparochialism”, according to a report from India Abroad News Service.Gray, who will hand over stewardship of the ICC to Pakistan’s Ehsan Mani onThursday, spoke at length about issues that have strained relationshipsbetween players, national cricket boards and the ICC. The interview quotesGray as saying: “The contracts issue was a problem that was entwined withgreed, bad management, lack of communication, nationalism and parochialism.”Further, he admitted that the ICC could have handled the imbroglio moresensitively. “We at ICC should have realised that the communication betweenthe players and the boards was lacking in many parts of the world. Maybe wecould have done more to ensure the players were properly informed and theirviews taken into account.”Gray’s statements come in the wake of a claim of £ 50 million by the GlobalCricket Corporation (GCC), who earlier entered into a US$ 550 million,seven-year sponsorship deal with the ICC. The deal assured the GCC of antiambush-marketing measures, some of which could not be fulfilled in thecourse of the World Cup.Shortly before the ICC Champions Trophy and the World Cup, uneasycompromises were reached and the tournaments got under way. It is thesecompromises that have given rise to circumstances in which the GCC can stakeits claim for £ 50 million from the ICC.Gray appreciated the gravity of the situation, but remained optimistic thata solution would be reached. “It is a complex issue and the claims that haveemanated will take time to find solutions. However, if they are approachedwith a sense of reasonability by all parties, an answer could be arrived atin a relatively short time.”

A New South Wales disciplinary hearing tonight suspended bowler Stuart MacGill for two interstate games for a breach of the players code of conduct in yesterday’s ING Cup win over Tasmania.MacGill will miss the vital Pura Cup match against Victoria, beginning in Melbourne on February 5, and the ING Cup one-dayer against Victoria on February 5.The Test leg spinner was found guilty of unbecoming behaviour and using crude and abusive language.

Lessons from the National Bank Series between New Zealand and India don’t really concern the quality of cricket, but the attitude of cricket followers in this country.New Zealand Cricket had cause to wonder when India performed so poorly in the Test series and then succumbed to a 4-0 margin to lose the one-day series with three games still to play whether they were on the verge of a disaster in terms of crowd appeal.But in a way that has not been seen in recent times, the paying public kept turning out. There were 20,000 at the dead match in Auckland, and a full-house crowd of more than 6000 in Hamilton today.New Zealanders do enjoy winners after all.And even the fact that seven One-Day Internationals have been played doesn’t seem to have dulled the appetite for cricket.It does show how far this New Zealand team has come when it can play well below its potential yet still quell one of the more impressive batting armouries in the world game and win the support of the home public.Much has been made of the problems the Indians have had in dealing with the excessive sideways movement of New Zealand’s pitches. But the New Zealanders also struggled.To bat as poorly as New Zealand has and still come out with such a commanding degree of authority in the two series, says something for the growth of confidence in the home side.They have learned how to win and are repeating the home series dominance the great side of the 1980s managed.Indian captain Sourav Ganguly has been quite right to say that there was little between the sides in terms of the results, but the difference has been that New Zealand have been able to rely on the notion of team, a principle that applies to most New Zealand sports teams far more than for any of its opponents.The notion of grafting for success is not lost on Kiwis who, more than most, have to get the best out of inadequate resources of manpower and talent.In having bowlers like Daryl Tuffey and Jacob Oram in the Test matches, and Kyle Mills in the ODIs, who are able to provide outstanding support for speed merchant Shane Bond, skipper Stephen Fleming has been able to dominate in a way that must have surprised the Indians.Their own attack in the Tests lacked the sustained accuracy and guile that Javagal Srinath brought to the one-day series. Given India’s inability to bat in such conditions, it should be no surprise that they also struggled to bowl purposefully in them.There did seem to be a notion grow that New Zealand were better used to the conditions. This was an erroneous view, as the conditions, in their extremes, were also foreign to the home side. New Zealand batsmen are only getting used to the greater bounce in pitches after a season or two of development in this area. Having to deal with sideways movement is an extra encumbrance.The most classic example of how to cope under the circumstances belonged to Mark Richardson in the first Test at the Basin Reserve. His application and sheer doggedness, driven by the lack of international opportunity he was to have this summer, was perhaps the best demonstration of the season.Aspects of development were obvious: the advance of Oram as a genuine Test player, the growth in Tuffey’s confidence, the solidity offered by the developing Scott Styris in the middle-order, the sight of Lou Vincent using his speed between the wickets as an attacking weapon with his demonstration in Napier, and his partnership with Styris in the second Auckland ODI as the most classic examples, and the advance of wicket-keeper Brendon McCullum.When their qualities are added to a return to peak form of Fleming, Craig McMillan, Nathan Astle and Chris Cairns, allied to greater employment of spinner Daniel Vettori, it offers genuine hope of even greater achievements by the New Zealanders.Fleming was the highest scoring of the New Zealand batsmen with 157 runs at 26.16. Others over 100 runs for the series were: Mathew Sinclair 146 at 24.33, Astle 123 at 24.60 and Vincent 120 at 40.00.India have different problems, although they have said all along that on the pitches in South Africa, they will quickly regain their best touches.Admittedly, that has to be a real prospect, although it will take some time to get over the mental looseness that saw them so often succumb to the moving ball. The last time they were here it was the swinging ball at the Basin Reserve that did them, but this time it was the cut of the ball off the pitch. Either vulnerability has to be a concern.Rahul Dravid offered glimpses of the class that made him such an exciting figure on the last tour of this country, but Sachin Tendulkar was a disappointment.Virender Sehwag did get to demonstrate his talent with two marvellous centuries in the one-day series. He was easily the most prolific of the batsmen. He scored 299 runs while the next highest Indian was Yuvraj Singh with 134, but at an average of only 19.14. Rahul Dravid was the only other Indian to pass three figures with 116 at 16.57.But generally, India’s lack of application was both a revelation and a disappointment. If their techniques were as good as their records say then more of them should have been capable of adaptation.Srinath was the best bowler on display in both sides. He used his experience brilliantly and finished with most wickets 18 at 11.16. Andre Adams was the best of the New Zealanders with 14 at 9.35. He might wait a long time to do better in a series.Tuffey was right behind him with 12 at 18.08.Fleming was quite right to claim satisfaction from having won a war of attrition.Turf managers can expect to come under greater scrutiny in the aftermath of this summer. Next season, New Zealand are to host Pakistan and South Africa, two huge opponents, and pitch quality will need to be significantly better.New Zealand will have had a tour to India in the early season, so they should be much better prepared for the summer than was the case this year. They deserve to have those pitches with pace and bounce that Fleming has been advocating, but less of the sideways movement.And does it really matter if the outfields of grounds are not pristine green in order to present the picture perfect view on television. No batsman is going to complain if a drier outfield gives him better value for his strokeplay.The groundsmen have talked a good game this year but they haven’t delivered.New Zealand did win everything but two one-dayers in the summer and that is significant. The side showed resolve and penetration.It has set the scene for a prolific World Cup, the hope has to be that those good conditions they are wanting in South Africa will do the business and light the spark that is ready to fire up in the side.

Sri Lanka booked themselves a berth in the final of the LG Abanstriangular series after Zimbabwe were spun to a 59 run defeat at PremadasaInternational Stadium.After claiming two wins and two useful bonus point Sri Lanka now have ten points, which guarantees their qualification even if they lose in Kandy at the weekend.Sri Lanka, in a depressingly empty stadium, won with some ease after a robust performance from their batsmen that saw them post a challenging 273 target, and a controlled effort from their medley of spinners, five of whom were employed on a wearing re-used surface.The highest total successfully chased at Premadasa in its 47 game history isonly 243 and Zimbabwe never looked likely winners, even after a spiritedopening stand between Grant Flower and Dion Ebrahim.Ebrahim followed two consecutive golden ducks with an attractive 32 andGrant Flower scored an industrious 45 as the pair added 69 for the firstwicket.But the introduction of Muttiah Muralitharan in the 14th over of the inningsswung the game towards Sri Lanka: Ebrahim was bowled third ball as he triedto hot-step down the wicket and Flower was controversially caught at slip(off his thigh) to leave Zimbabwe facing a steadily rising run rate in themiddle overs.Andy Flower was Zimbabwe’s only realistic hope. He showed why with aslog-sweep for six off Muralitharan, but then fell in the next over tryingto reverse sweep one of Jayasuriya’s low-armed darts (103 for three).Captain Stuart Carlisle and Craig Wishart tried to keep pace with the runrate but the Sri Lankan’s are a well-oiled one-day unit in such spin-friendlyconditions. Forcing the pace was fiendishly difficult and their 42 run standcame to an end when Wishart was caught and bowled by Russel Arnold (145 forfour).Four overs later Carlisle slammed a catch at the glue-like hands of UpulChandana, recalled to the side after a 12-month absence, to be dismissed for39 (159 for five).Zimbabwe were left needing 102 runs off the final ten overs. Muralitharanthe cleaned up Heath Streak for 24, who biffed four boundaries and TatendaTaibu, who recorded his third consecutive duck to finish with four wickets.His fellow twirly mean then moved in for the kill.Earlier in the day, Sri Lanka lost two early wickets having won the toss, asSanath Jayasuriya was caught behind second ball wafting at a wide deliveryfrom Heath Streak and Marvan Atapattu mistimed a back foot drive to becaught at cover.But Gunwardene and Jayawardene first consolidated and then wrestled back theinitiative in a 166 run stand in 198 balls to lay the foundations for SriLanka’s imposing total.Gunwardene, dropped on nine in the slips, was more reserved than normal, buthaving reached his seventh half-century off 76 balls, he started to swaggerand bludgeon thereafter, before he top-edged a pull and was caught at mid-onfor 90 (191 for three).Jayawardene, too, enjoyed some fortune, twice being dropped – first byFlower behind the stumps on 27 and then on 92 at backward point. Those twolapses apart, however, he batted serenely, milking the slower bowlers withease in the first part of his innings and then raising the tempo later witha series of well executed improvisations.But, much to the horror of his girlfriend, looking on anxiously from thegrandstand, he fell just short of his sixth one-day century when theenigmatic Henry Olonga slipped a straight ball through his defenses (215 forfour).Russel Arnold then skillfully managed the final dash with a 32 run cameothat ensured Sri Lanka scored 75 runs in the final ten overs despite theloss of four wickets.The tournament now moves to the hill-country where Sri Lanka will take onWest Indies on Saturday.

Mark Waugh accepted the blame for his axing from the Australian one-day cricket team today but said only time would tell whether selectors had prematurely ended his record-breaking career.Waugh acknowledged he did not make enough runs at home during the summer, giving selectors the chance to sack Australia’s most successful one-day batsmanahead of matches in South Africa and Zimbabwe later this month.Just three weeks after twin and captain Stephen was dumped, Mark learned his one-day international career was finished as selectors gave the first insight into the players they expect to feature in Australia’s World Cup defence in 12 months.Andrew Symonds also was dropped while fellow all-rounder Shane Watson and versatile Queensland off-spinner Nathan Hauritz were named in their first Australian one-day squads.Queensland mates Matthew Hayden and Jimmy Maher were returned to the national squad as selectors went for 15 players for the 10 African matches, starting inJohannesburg on March 22.It will be the first time Australia has played without a Waugh in the squad since January 1986 although Mark insisted he was still, at 36, good enough to play for his country.”It was disappointing but life goes on. I’ve played a lot of games so it’s not like I haven’t had a good run,” he said here today.”I would like to keep playing because I think I’m probably batting well enough now to do the job in one-day cricket.”But I thought this might happen, reading between the lines.”I should have made more runs last summer … and we lost games so I guess there were always going to be a few changes.”Jimmy Maher and Matthew Hayden will come in and, who knows, if they don’t score a lot of runs then maybe I was dropped too early.”If they score a lot of runs then selectors were probably right.”I can’t look into the future and tell you that but I feel like I’m playing pretty well at the moment.”Twilight is now upon the Waugh twins, who remain part of the Australian Test squad which has barrelled its way through South Africa, heading to the second Test in Cape Town on Friday.While both insist they can return for the World Cup next season, albeit unlikely according to Mark, national selector Trevor Hohns admitted the odds were againstthe Waughs ever wearing Australia’s one-day strip again.”You never close the door on anybody these days, however in the near future it’s going to be difficult to go back on that decision,” Hohns said.”It’s never easy. Both of them are probably legends of the game in Australian cricket and it’s never easy to adjudicate on their futures.”Mark was woken this morning by phone calls of support from home, while South African fans struggled to believe that Australian selectors could drop the brothers.Steve and Mark have made more runs than any other Australian batsmen and both have scored centuries in tour matches since arriving in South Africa.It was a mixed announcement for the Australian players already on tour, with Watson and Hayden receiving their chance to press for a World Cup berth.Hayden will be given an extended run at the opening role alongside Adam Gilchrist after he was dropped in January during Australia’s ill-fated home triangular series against the Proteas and New Zealand.The 20-year-old Watson was selected even before he smashed an unbeaten century in his international debut yesterday, while taking match figures of 3-60 againstSouth Africa A.Maher’s inclusion, after playing two one-day internationals four years ago, comes as just reward for his performances for Queensland while the 20-year-old Hauritz has been marked as a finger spinner capable of developing all-round talents.”Right from the first time he played for Queensland he looked like a young fellow who knew how to bowl,” Hohns said.”He was relaxed, he was comfortable with what he was doing, he just seemed to know what he was doing, so he is another outstanding prospect for us.”

As early as day two of the CricInfo Championship, Division Two clash between Middlesex and Warwickshire at Lord’s, a stalemate has been achieved.History suggests a draw: as Middlesex haven’t won at Lord’s against The Bears since 1983. Warwickshire last beat Middlesex in 1992. Last year’s game was a typical high scoring draw.Middlesex reached an epic 502-7 declared at tea, with Paul Weekes (107) and David Nash (103*) completing centuries today.Warwickshire replied with 158-2. Mark Wagh, in his 50th championship appearance stroking an unbeaten 82 and Ian Bell, in his ninth championship game, making an unbeaten 65.With depleted attacks and a flat pitch, early breakthroughs were essential. Warwickshire didn’t take a wicket until mid afternoon, after Weekes and Nash had added a record between the counties of 189 for the sixth wicket. This surpassed the record of Mark Ramprakash and Keith Brown, who added 184 at Lord’s in 1996.Today was just the second time that four players had made centuries in an innings at HQ following Middlesex’s 1920 quartet of P.F Warner, H.W Lee, J.W Hearne and N.E Haig.Stephen Fleming and Ed Joyce made tons during another record Middlesex v Warwickshire stand yesterday.Warwickshire’s debutant, Jamie Spires, 21, who wasn’t required to bowl today, commented: “If you didn’t bowl off stump, any error in length is punished.”This partly explains why just five wickets fell for 322 runs in 88 overs today.Middlesex’s declaration brought relief for Warwickshire. But just as the home team had been 33-3 early yesterday, Warwickshire began badly to be 6-2 after just nine balls.Fraser straightened one to trap Mike Powell lbw, then Tim Bloomfield bowled Nick Knight for a duck, on the back foot as the ball came in down the slope.But the contrasting styles of Wagh and Bell were then illustrated, particularly in two overs from Middlesex medium pacer Simon Cook. In the first, Wagh’s graceful straight drive brought up as 45-ball 50 containing nine fours. In the next the more compact Bell pulled two sixes into the nearby Grandstand to bring up the team’s 100 in just 132 balls.Yet another 1920’s stand between the counties was threatened as 19-year-old Bell, and 24-year-old Wagh passed 150 for the third wicket, three overs from the close.

There were a couple of upsets in the First League in the opening round of the 2001/2 National League on October 21, with last season’s two top teams suffering humiliating defeats at the hands of newcomers.Champions Old Hararians surprisingly travelled with only nine players to Kwekwe and they were all out after 23.3 overs with the scorecard reading 107/8. The only meaningful batting came from Nyasha Chari who made 23. The hosts used only four bowlers Travis Friend, Campbell McMillan, John Vaughan-Davies and Doug Marillier who each took two wickets.Kwekwe reached 109/3 in 26.1 overs with Dirk Viljoen unbeaten on 38. Ironically Viljoen turns out for OH in the Mashonaland Vigne Cup. Opener Marillier was the second-best batsman with 28 runs.The match between Queens, last season’s runners-up, and Mutare was played at a neutral venue, Old Hararians Sports Club, with the latter posting a convincing 97-run victory in a 45-over match. Mutare opened the batting and compiled 258 runs for the loss of seven wickets off their 45 overs.Former national team players Alistair Campbell and Guy Whittall, who were recently dropped from the national team, led by example with match-winning fifties. Opener Campbell top-scored with 79 while Whittall weighed in with 67. Mluleki Nkala was the pick of theQueens bowlers with three wickets for 42 off nine overs.In reply Queens were dismissed for 161 in 38.3 overs. Richard Sims finished with three wickets for 19 off nine overs while Ian Coulson took three for 39 off seven overs.At Bulawayo Athletic Club, visitors Old Winstonians beat the hosts by seven wickets. They fielded national team pace bowler Henry Olonga who has moved from Bulawayo.BAC were dismissed for 109 in 26.1 overs. Old Winstonians captain Rangarirai Manyande led the attack with five wickets for 42 off 10 overs. Choki Panyangara finished with three for 13 off 6.1 overs whileOlonga took two for 29 off seven overs.Old Winstonians reached 110 for the loss of four wickets in 27 overs. Stuart Matsikenyeri, who is set to leave for Australia soon, made 43.At Universals the hosts continued their poor run which has seen them lose all three games in the Vigne Cup so far with a six-run defeat to Harare Sports Club in a closely fought battle. The two teams met a week earlier in the Vigne Cup and Harare Sports Club won by nine wickets with 61 balls to spare. However, this encounter was a close call with Universals being dismissed seven runs short of their victory target with four balls remaining.Harare Sports Club made 261/9 in their allotted 50 overs with opener Mark Vermeulen the top scorer with 75 runs. Fellow-opener Trevor Gripper and Donald Campbell added 32 runs each. Ali Shah took three wickets for 35 off 10 overs while Brian Murphy took three for 41 off 10 overs.Universals were all out for 255 after 49.2 overs with Shah the leading scorer on 50. Gripper took three for 59 off 10 overs.The other match was at Alexandra Sports Club where the hosts beat Old Georgians by seven runs in yet another close encounter. Alex made 234 for nine wickets in 50 overs with Ross Liddell making the round’s best score of 81. Old Georgians could only reach 227 for nine off their allotted 50 overs with Craig Evans making 61 and Grant Flower 54.

An emphatic decision in support of New Zealand’s cancellation of its 2001 tour of Pakistan, and the withdrawal from its replacement tour in May last year, has been made by the International Cricket Council’s disputes committee.Pakistan had sought compensation under the provisions of the ICC’s future tours programme.The committee comprised: Justice Ahmed Ebrahim, Justice Albie Sachs and Steve Camacho.In a unanimous opionion the committee said:”In the light of the events of September 11, 2001 it was not unreasonable for NZC [New Zealand Cricket] to cancel its original tour of Pakistan. The situation in the world generally, and particularly in the region which includes Pakistan, was highly volatile and unpredictable. As itsubsequently emerged, Pakistan was directly involved in the war which saw the overthrow of the Taliban regime. In the circumstances NZC’s decision was acceptable.”Given the proximity of the Karachi bomb-blast and the deaths caused by it, we find that NZC’s cancellation of the re-scheduled tour in May 2002 was also acceptable.”In the circumstances, compensation is not payable,” they said.Because of the withdrawal on the day the second Test was due to start in Karachi last year, New Zealand and Pakistan have still to resolve when they can fit the match in.Pakistan won the first Test of the two-Test series by a massive innings and 324 runs, the heaviest loss suffered by New Zealand, when Inzamam-ul-Haq scored 329 runs for Pakistan.There has been some talk that the match may be played before New Zealand’s tour to India later this year, but nothing has been confirmed.NZC chief executive Martin Snedden said he was pleased with the decision which had reflected concern for player safety and security being warranted.Snedden said he was in consultation with the Pakistan Cricket Board to resolve the matter.

* A good year for the BCCIThe Board of Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) has made a netprofit of 37.99 crore during the financial year 2000-2001.This despite the cancellation of tournaments in Sharjah andToronto and the heavy investments made to get the services ofGeoff Marsh and John Wright. Marsh was reportedly paid Rs 25lakh for the three brief visits he made to India during theperiod.The Press Trust of India which carries the report says thatthe huge profits were courtesy sale of television rights, teamsponsorship deals and also “professional marketing of the homeseries against Australia and Zimbabwe”. Strangely, despite the”professional marketing”, the Zimbabwean tour yielded morerevenue (Rs 6.1 crore) than the Australian tour (Rs 3.77crore).The BCCI’s income also tripled in the period from Rs 30.23 inthe last financial year to Rs 91 crore this year. The balancesheet as on March 31, 2001 shows total assets of Rs 201.84crore as against Rs 144.92 crore last year.The major expenses include the allocation of Rs 6 crore forinfrastructure development and Rs 1.92 crore to set up theNational Cricket Academy in Bangalore.Meanwhile, Rs 2.06 crore was spent on coaching camps of whichRs 83 lakh went to the foreign coach (name not mentioned) andRs 29 lakh to the physio.Ace leg-spinner Anil Kumble was given Rs 6,23,182 fortreatment of his shoulder injury while former wicket-keeperSaba Karim received Rs 1,69,261 for his eye operation, PTIadded.* Hey guys, we did a great jobThe BCCI feels that it has saved Indian cricket from beingdragged into the mire of match-fixing.”Far from descending into a slough of despair, the game hasemerged stronger from the crisis brought about by match-fixingand related malpractices. The alacrity with which the boardacted during the year may have helped save a crumbling image.It took great moral strength to condemn our very own,” saysthe BCCI’s annual report prepared by secretary Jaywant Leleand joint secretary Jyoti Bajpai.”But all of us know that welfare of the game and thepreservation of its fair name is greater than individuals.Suffice it to say, cricket in India is on a good wicket now,”says the report which will be tabled during the 72nd AnnualGeneral Body Meeting in Chennai on September 29.”To say the game is back on the rails after going through avery severe crisis of confidence would be most appropriate.Justice is truth in action, is a homily no one will disagreewith. Yet it is a secure future that we look to as we leavethe great scandal behind.”That will be a future free of the kind of disruptiveinfluence that bookmakers brought to bear on the game as theytoyed with the integrity of some of the players of the game.”The board had to take several difficult decisions during theyear. The hardest of all had to do with those of our playerswho may have at some time or the other compromised theintegrity of the game."”The board hopes that by virtue of the decisions of thedisciplinary committee and the punishment it meted out to someplayers, all cricketers will have received a stern warning ofwhat fate awaits them if they indulge in influencing thecourse of matches for a consideration. As Mark Twain said`truth is the most valuable thing we have’.”All this eloquence is followed by a a few words on currentBCCI president AC Muthiah, who is seeking a third term inoffice. “While he faced challenges in his first year that werenot quite cricket, in his second year, Muthiah had to takefirm action and tough decisions to save the fair name of thegame, when cricket was gripped by an unprecedented crisis.”The duo then point out the achievements of the BCCI – “theappointment of national and international consultants, theplacing of orders for video aided analysis for the nationalteam, the setting up of regional and national cricketacademies to give thrust to Indian cricket on par withinternational standards, were the success stories, besidesmany other matters like eradicating the overage problems ofcricketers in age group tournaments, improvement of pitchesand strict financial governance.”Did you say the BCCI can’t make the right pitch?

LAHORE: Lt Gen Tauqir Zia, the PCB Chairman, is said to be contemplating changes in the Board. These changes, revealed a reliable source, are likely to encompass the entire set-up of the Board, and take place sooner than later, as it is said the PCB Chairman wants the new set-up in place well before the 2001-02 home season. Keeping that in view, sources exceptionally close to the chairman have confided in this correspondent, he might start ringing in these changes soon after he arrives back from England, on June 24.The high and powerful Advisory Council, with Rameez Raja, Javed Miandad, Waqar Hasan and marketing expert Wasim Azhar its members, would apparently hit the sack, revealed the source. In the Chairman’s view, one is told, they all remain accused of inefficiency.Of these, only Rameez may still continue to hold an office in the PCB, but of much diminished importance than his current position. Currently, he is the next most important person in the Board after the Chairman. In the new set-up, he is likely to land the portfolio of supervising restructuring of domestic cricket.On the way out too, the selection committee would closely follow the Advisory Council, with new members already being vetted behind the scenes by Chairman’s confidants outside the Board. There would be just one selection committee, instead of one for the senior string and another for the juniors, and it is proposed to be a paid one.Close on the heels of sacking the Advisory Council and re-forming the selection committee, each department in the permanent establishment of the Board would be made independent and given targets which would be reviewed every quarter.Now that he is no longer so busy with the heavy duties in army, probably the Chairman feels he has enough time on his hands to be even more actively involved in the day-to-day affairs of the Board. That is perhaps why, instead of a supra body like the Advisory Council involved in each and every thing, the heads of these departments – such as marketing, administration, operations, media management etc. – would be reporting to the Chairman directly.This is how the thinking goes, and the fact that minute details have been already worked out, shows that quite a bit of planning has been done. Reportedly, all this with Advisory Council members, not yet in the know. But since the Chairman, despite his background, is said to be a sentimental softy and generous to a fault, given to mostly not following the edicts of his better judgement when faced with sob stories, this plan may yet see changing and chopping at the last moment.