Australian selector Andrew Hilditch was today named on a top-level commission to examine the rift in world cricket over match referees.

The former Test opener was appointed to the International Cricket Council's (ICC) Referees Commission, the ICC announced today.

He joins South African judge Justice A.L. Sachs, who will chair the commission, and former Pakistan captain Majid Khan to investigate the dispute involving the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

ICC President Malcolm Gray today said the commission combined outstanding cricket pedigree with a high degree of legal and administrative expertise.

"I am entirely confident that it will fulfil its brief to the satisfaction of all parties," Gray said in a statement.

"In accordance with the terms of the agreement with the BCCI, the ICC consulted on the composition of the panel.

"Mr J Dalmiya, President of the BCCI, objected to each of the ICC candidates and put forward a number of his own nominees.

"Two of these, Richie Benaud and Imran Khan, were approached with a view to joining the panel but for personal and business reasons were unable to accept the invitation."

The panel will meet in February with its findings and recommendations to be considered at the next ICC executive board meeting in March.

The commission was established after match referee Mike Denness controversially disciplined six Indian players, suspending batsman Virender Sehwag for excessive appealing, during last November's Port Elizabeth Test match against South Africa.

The action prompted a furore, with both teams refusing to accept Denness as referee for the following match, which was refused Test status by the ICC.

India then argued Sehwag had served his one-match ban, sparking a stand-off over its next Test against England in Mohali.

The deadlock was broken when the BCCI agreed to drop Sehwag for that match if the ICC investigated Denness' ruling.

The commission will report on whether there should be a right of appeal against a decision of a match referee, the best structure for such an appeal process and whether there should be an ICC code of conduct for match referees.

Other issues to be examined include consistency in penalties imposed by match referees and whether match referees should publicly explain their decisions.

© 2002 AAP