15 October 1996

UCB - Kirsten Can Wear His Colours

Iqbal Khan

Gary Kirsten has carried his colourful bandana to India and plans
to  wear  it  during  the  one-day internationals and in the test
series on the sub-continent.

And he has the backing of the United Cricket Board  to  wear  the
bandana   -   it  has the colours of the South African flag.  The
UCB stood by him after being fined 10 percent of his match fee by
re- feree  Mike  Denness,  a  former England Test Captain, during
the Four Nations final agains Pakistan at the  Nairobi   Gymkhana
two weeks ago.

There`s a possibility of the fine being revoked  by  the  ICC  as
Denness  did  not  apply  the correct rule according to the ICC`s
code of conduct.

Ali Bacher, managing director of the UCB,  said  today:  "I  told
Gary  on  the  day  he left for the tour to wear the bandana even
though he was fined by the ICC match referee in his last  one-day
international.

Though the UCB are backing Kirsten, he could still irk the  match
referee  John  Reid,  who is a stickler when it comes to applying
the rules. Reid has been known to reprimand and fine players  for
the smallest of offences.

<END> Contributed by Bob.Dubery (dauphin@aztec.co.za)