ICC Champions Trophy tourney 2002 - 
 the most successful one
- ICC chief Gray

by RANJAN ANANDAPPA

The coveted Champions Trophy

The ICC Champions Trophy tournament presently held in Sri Lanka has been considered the most successful one out of the previous two held in Bangladesh and Kenya respectively in terms of games and commercial contents said the President of the International Cricket Council Malcolm Gray.

There are always some issues in tournaments of this magnitude but this tournament is an extraordinary successful one said the ICC President.

Malcolm Gray thanked the Sri Lankan government for the great encouragement given,the Cricket Board and the Chairman of the Interim Committee Hemaka Amarasuriya and the Board of Investment for being soundly behind the tournament.

"I suppose as organisers, if we could have chosen whom we wanted in the final we couldn't have got it better," said Gray referring to the India - Sri Lanka final.

In the course of the event, the tournament was also run as a technological trial for the first time.

"It is difficult to be definite about the outcome, but what has become apparent is that we are pleased the way the umpires have used the technology, they have used the powers of consulting the third umpire sparingly that the interruption of the game has been minimal".

There have been many issues put to the third umpire but the time taken has not actually interfered with the flow of the game and in this respect the trial has been a success.

The ICC is hoping to evaluate the response of the umpires and the captains and to move forward in this concept.

"It has been a great opportunity with the 12 best teams and eight elite umpires and five of the best match referees coming together in this trial," added the cricket chief.

The Chief Executive of the ICC Malcolm Speed, explaining the new format of running the tournament said that the present system is significantly better than the previous knock-out system.

"In the knock-out system, teams prepare for the event and travel a long way with considerable expenses, but just play one game and go home. Under the previous system we wouldn't have had half of the teams," said Malcolm Speed.

The decision was made to play this tournament in full member countries to get greater exposure to the game and greater commercial opportunities and take it back to the developing countries by television.

" We have been having exceptional public support, and the Sri Lankan community has been committed and aware of the event and absolutely passionate about cricket and bringing the ICC Championship to a full member country has been very successful" said Malcolm Speed.