Ray Mali believes in team effort

Chennai, June 8 (UNI) Newly-appointed International Cricket Council (ICC) Acting President Ray Mali today said he would make running the world body as a team effort.

Speaking at a seminar organised by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) on 'Cricket for Unity', Mr Mali, who was appointed to the post yesterday following the demise of incumbent Percy Sonn, said ''I am not going to lead it (the ICC) all by myself. I believe in leading as a team.'' Pledging his total commitment to work for the betterment of cricket, he said he would soon chart a way forward for the cricket's governing body.

Observing that he would take all steps to promote unity through cricket, Mr Mali said ''we should mobilise, galvanise and unify all nations through cricket. Let us build bridges of peace, build unity through the nations.'' Recalling the history of South Africa during the apartheid period, he said ''we have used cricket for reconciliation, to heal the wounds of the past, the wounds of the terrible systems that South Africa went through.'' Referring to the ongoing Afro-Asian series, Mr Mali said Afro-Asian cricket cooperation should not be seen as a pressure group, but as an union trying to make cricket accessible to all.

''Some people are uneasy about the whole exercise of these two continents coming together. It is going to help in a number of ways, including improving trade and diplomatic relations between the two continents.'' ''I have a firm belief that we have a chance to do something through cricket. It will be nice to involve other nations,'' he added.

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