The Hindu Business Line : Dalmiya blames it on Zee, ESPN

According to Mr Jagmohan Dalmiya, President of BCCI, the television companies placed their "commercial interest" on a "higher pedestal" instead of the game of cricket and the public interest.

Addressing a press conference, Mr Dalmiya said during the entire row spread over two weeks, the BCCI was "pushed back to the wall" and had "no elbow room" to find a solution.

Considering the huge public interest revolving around the three cricket series that India is to play against Australia, South Africa and Pakistan, the BCCI is making certain arrangements for live telecast. The India-Australia series is scheduled to start from October 6.

Mr Dalmiya, however, did not spell out BCCI's telecast plans. "We are making necessary arrangements. We will make an announcement within the next few days," he told reporters.

The BCCI President said his organisation had proposed four options to the two television companies.

First, was the proposal to submit fresh bids before the Bombay High Court and rights to be awarded to the highest bidder.

The second option was division of the four-year telecast period, whereby the upcoming three cricket series will be segregated from the total period under consideration. "The four-year TV rights contract would then have commenced from May 2005," said Mr Dalmiya.

As a third option, the TV companies were asked to submit tenders for the coverage of only these three cricket series.

Alternatively, , the BCCI decided to produce the television coverage of these matches on its own.

Meanwhile, at the press conference, a representative of Zee Telefilms distributed a letter written by their counsel, Ms Radha Rangaswamy, stating that it had filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court.

Mr Dalmiya did not comment on the $20 million that was submitted by Zee as a first instalment after winning the four-year contract.

The Zee lawyer, however, said they were "informed that the BCCI has transferred the said amount" to the Zee Telefilms account.

The BCCI President said the board had tried to convince the International Cricket Council (ICC) to conduct the Indo-Australia series without TV coverage and the Third (Television) Umpire. ICC had turned down the request.

"In a letter to the BCCI, the Australian Cricket Board even threatened not to come and play in India, if there was no television coverage. So, we had no option before us other than cancelling the whole tender process," Mr Dalmiya said.

Despite being critical of the TV companies, Mr Dalmiya said the BCCI and the TV companies complemented each other. "We require TV channels, but cricket is supreme," he said.

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