Gavaskar, Kapil, Bedi named in first ICC Cricket Hall of Fame

Sydney, Jan 2 (PTI) Three Indian cricketing legends,
Kapil Dev, Sunil Gavaskar and Bishan Singh Bedi figured among
the 55 former players named Friday in the ICC's inaugural Hall
of Fame list as part of its centenary celebrations.

Launching the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame here, Chief
Executive Haroon Lorgat said the initiative, in association
with Federation of International Cricketers' Association
(FICA), would provide the chance for the game to recognise its
greatest achievers.

"Given a key theme of the ICC's centenary year is
celebrating the game's heritage then the foundation of the ICC
Cricket Hall of Fame is an entirely logical step," he said.

"It will provide a means of recognising the historical
contribution of past players, officials and even institutions
in making cricket what it is today, a great sport with a great
spirit," he added.

Gavaskar expressed "humbled" to be named along with Sir
Donald Bradman and Sir Garfield Sobers.

"To be recognised by the premier authority in the game,
the ICC, and that, too, in its centenary year, is an honour
indeed.

"It is a privilege and I am overwhelmed and humbled to be
included in such august company as Sir Donald Bradman and the
one and only Sir Garry Sobers," he said in a statement.

Former Australia wicketkeeper Rodney Marsh became the
first Hall of Famer to receive his commemorative cap from ICC
President David Morgan.

"I'm deeply honoured to be inducted into the ICC Cricket
Hall of Fame. Being recognised in this way is humbling,
especially when I look at the names of the players in this
list and think about those who will join it in the years to
come," Marsh said.

"It (the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame) is another way of
showing what a great history our game has and anything that
does that has to be a good thing," Marsh said.

The career statistics and biographies of the 55 inductees
can be found at the new ICC centenary website, also launched
today, ww.catchthespirit.com.

Each year, starting 2009, new inductees will be announced
during the LG ICC Awards ceremony. The initial inductees or,
in the case of those who have passed away, their relatives
will be presented with a commemorative ICC Cricket Hall of
Fame cap at an appropriate stage during the ICC centenary
year.

The living members of the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame will
also have the chance to choose new inductees.
"We have studied numerous Halls of Fame in other sports
to see what works and what doesn't and how best we can achieve
our goal, to recognise the game's greatest achievers.

"We want to ensure that as many of the game's
stakeholders as possible, including current ICC Cricket Hall
of Famers and members of the public, get the chance to have
their say in the process of choosing the game's true legends,"
Lorgat said.

FICA Chief Executive Tim May was delighted at the new
joint initiative of cricketers' association and the ICC.

"FICA believes it is important to honour the outstanding
contributions many individuals have made to the game," said
May.

"The ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in association with FICA is
obviously the appropriate forum to do so and we are delighted
to join with the ICC in this great venture," he added. PTI SSC
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