ACB comment on World Cup selection

The Australian Cricket Board (ACB) has confirmed it is seeking International Cricket Council (ICC) clarification on the circumstances by which players in its 15-man World Cup squad due to be announced at the end of this month can subsequently be replaced.

ACB Chief Executive Officer James Sutherland said: "The terms of the Participating Nation Agreement (PNA) covering World Cup selection have always made it clear that the final squad of 15 to be chosen by the end of December must be selected from the original squad of 30.

"The selectors chose the 30-man squad on that basis, but it may be the case that we did not communicate the fact that the final 15 players had to come from that original 30 as well as we might have done.

"However, the PNA is not clear about the circumstances covering replacements to our final squad after 31 December.

"This week's unfortunate injury to Shane Warne has highlighted that the detail about the possible replacement of somebody from the final 15 with a player outside the original squad of 30 needs to be clarified with the ICC.

"We understand that all replacements need to be approved by the ICC's Event Technical Committee (ETC) but we believe the PNA is unclear about whether a replacement player must come from the original 30-man squad.

"We also believe the factors the ETC can take into account when considering such circumstances are unlimited and may not be confined to those squad members who suffer an injury or a bereavement, as has been reported."

The ACB will await the ICC's ruling on these matters.