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