Speed calls on players to uphold spirit of Cricket in WC

Dubai, Mar 12 (UNI) ICC Chief Executive Officer Malcolm Speed has called on all players to uphold the 'Spirit of Cricket' during the World Cup to ensure the tournament is remembered for all the right reasons.

Reflecting on the action to come in the Caribbean, Mr Speed used the latest edition of the ICC's Media Notes publication to express his hopes for the tournament which had its opening ceremony in Jamaica last evening.

''My one wish for this ICC Cricket World Cup is that the players once again show that even though the game is now highly professional, the Spirit of Cricket that runs through the history of our great sport still runs deep,'' he wrote.

''That will help to create a real feel-good factor around the event that can serve as a springboard for its continued growth and development on a long-term basis, both throughout the West Indies and worldwide, one way we can ensure our strong sport gets even stronger.'' He said the Spirit was enshrined in the preamble to the Laws of the game which stated the need for respect for opponents, team mates, the role of the umpires and the game's long-held values of honesty, fair play and sportsmanship.

He informed the ICC recruited some of the world's leading players including Rahul Dravid, Brian Lara, Shaun Pollock, Shane Bond and Brett Lee to reinforce that message.

He also praised the organisers of this event in the West Indies and said they have worked extremely hard to ensure a superb event.

''(It is) the game's biggest shop window with a global television audience of more than one billion people and (that means) it is cricket's opportunity to showcase itself to the world in a wonderfully positive way." UNI XC DH PDS RN1440