We are not happy with the verdict: BCCI

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has written a letter to the International Cricket Council (ICC) saying it wasn't happy with the decision of retired Australian judge, Gordon Lewis, who found Anderson not guilty in the 'Shovegate' fracas involving the England pacer and Ravindra Jadeja, the Indian all-rounder. However, it isn't clear if the BCCI had actually asked the ICC to officially file an appeal against the 'not guilty' verdict.

BCCI secretary, Sanjay Patel, however denied reports that the powerful board had asked the apex body to file an appeal. "What we have done is we've written a letter to the ICC saying we are not happy with the verdict," he told Reuters.

"We don't have a right to appeal in this case," Patel added.

Lewis had decided that there was insufficient evidence to uphold India's claim that Anderson pushed Jadeja in the Trent Bridge pavilion during the first Test and was guilty of breaching Level 3 of the ICC code.

Lewis conducted a six hour hearing on the entire spat via teleconference which was attended by members of both aggrieved parties. With no clear-cut evidence presented by either sides, it ended up as one man's word over the other. "Obviously one version of the facts must be untrue, but the existing CCTV image is unhelpful and the witnesses hopelessly biased in favour of one party or the other," the Judicial Commissioner had said in his verdict.

The Indian team management, while obviously pleased with the decision to free Jadeja from paying the 50% match-fee fine imposed on him by match referee, David Boon, for having not complied with the 'spirit of cricket', had privately expressed dismay that Anderson had escaped unscathed despite him accepting charges that he had abused the Indian. As the star England bowler had been charged with a level 3 offence, his case was handled by the ICC lawyers, and only Dave Richardson, the Chief Executive of the apex body had the rights to appeal against the final decision.

Indeed, the matter cannot be considered closed until Friday - day two of the fourth Test at Old Trafford. That is when the deadline for an official ICC appeal against Lewis' findings, which would have to be laid by chief executive Dave Richardson, expires. The Indian board has now requested the ICC chief executive to exercise his right and appeal against the judgement.

Sources in the BCCI had said to 'Wisden India' that they were not happy with the Judicial Commissioner's decision to exonerate Anderson from any wrong-doings and they would request the ICC to file an appeal. "He needs to in our view," said the official. "There were a series of errors. Boon punished Jadeja, which has been reversed. Anderson pushed Jadeja, which has been confirmed, but is still found not guilty. (Bruce) Oxenford, the umpire, asked Anderson to stop the abuse on the field, but did not charge him for repeated Code of Conduct violations. The ICC has lots to answer," the source had added.

If the ICC does file an appeal, a three-member appeals panel will be constituted, which will hear the case afresh. The players, however will be free to continue playing until the matter is disposed of.