LONDON (Reuters)
Sri Lanka's Ranjan Madugalle has been appointed head of the new international panel of referees, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said in a statement. The ICC said his first task will be to identify candidates for the remaining four positions on the new panel, which will be set up alongside a similar elite panel of umpires.

"Ranjan is a highly experienced and respected individual who has earned the right to take the lead role at the head of the new referees panel," said ICC chief executive officer Malcolm Speed.

Short-listed nominees identified by Madugalle will be interviewed and appointed by Speed and Sunil Gavaskar and take up their duties in April next year. Madugalle played 21 Tests and 65 one-day internationals between 1979 and 1989, for the last two years as captain of his country.

He was appointed to the ICC referees panel in 1994 and has officiated in 35 Tests and 101 one dayers, including the 1999 World Cup final and the ICC Knock Out finals of 1998 and 2000.

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