ICF defends selectors Perth Festival

ICF defends selectors Perth Festival

JAKARTA: The Indonesian Cricket Foundation (ICF) defended its
Board of Selectors who named members of Indonesia's first ever
cricket team for the 2002 East Asia Cricket Eights Festival to be
held in Perth, Australia.

"We have received many letters of complaint from disappointed
expatriate players after we announced the national cricketers for
the Perth tour," ICF chairman Alan Wilson told The Jakarta Post
in a written statement on Monday.

"We wish to congratulate our Board of Selectors chairman, Ray
Elliott, who successfully completing the difficult task of
choosing this first ever squad of 10 players," he added.

The board of selectors, which included Raymund Shakespeare and
Martin Eddy, has named Cameron Knox, David Herbert and Srikanth
to accompany seven national cricketers.

"The selection was based on players' minimum proven residence
of five years here and their capability of teamwork and mentoring
the seven Indonesian national players," said Wilson.

"They have also proven their ability based on a history of
sound play as well as being representative of the main
nationality groupings in the Jakarta Cricket Association."

The Jakarta contingent will travel to Bali on Thursday for a
day of team training. The team travels to Perth for their first
match against the Aboriginal Australian side on the morning of
Feb. 25. This will be the first ever official international
cricket match for Indonesia. -- JP