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International Cricket Council (ICC) chief executive Malcolm Speed says money is not a true barometer of cricket success.

Speaking at a news conference ahead of the ICC’s two-day executive board meeting starting in Mumbai on Friday, Mr Speed said he judged organisations on three criteria and the amount of money a cricket board had took a back seat to on-field performance.

"I judge them on how well the team performs, how they look after stake-holders in terms of facilities on the ground etc, and how well they use resources like population to produce great cricketers," he said.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) signed a $1.3 million rights deal this year, but has been involved in a series of commercial disputes with the ICC.

The BCCI is refusing to endorse a document allowing cricket’s governing body to seal a fresh multi-million dollar sponsorship deal from 2007-2015.

The ICC meeting will discuss whether the Indian board should be allowed to bid for its global rights, usually restricted to media companies.

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The combination of India and Champions Trophy has been a nightmare for Australia twice in the past, but Ricky Ponting and co. finally ended that jinx, thrashing India by six wickets to emphatically move into the semi-finals of the tournament. A target of 250 should have tested them even on a good batting strip, but their openers got them off to a frenetic start, while Ricky Ponting and Damien Martyn ensured there would be no hiccups, both getting to fluent half-centuries as Australia ended the contest with 26 deliveries to spare. India, meanwhile, followed Sri Lanka and Pakistan in exiting the tournament, making it the first time since the 1975 World Cup that no team from the subcontinent has made it to the semi-finals of a major one-day championship.

Australia didn’t have a lot going for them at the start - they lost the toss, had to field first on a pitch which was quite different from the one on which Pakistan were demolished by South Africa’s pace attack, and then had to battle through an early onslaught from Virender Sehwag, another batsman who rediscovered his touch. Sehwag’s 65 and a superbly controlled 52 from Rahul Dravid put India on course for a challenging total, but Australia then took over, pulling it back towards the end with regular wickets. India finished about 20 runs short of the score they would have expected after the start, and then Australia never allowed India a sniff in the field, shutting them out of the contest with some destructive strokeplay in the first 15 overs.

Teams have struggled to bat under lights at Mohali, but the Australians waded into the listless Irfan Pathan and Munaf Patel from the start. Taking full advantage of the half-volleys and short balls that were on offer, Adam Gilchrist - who had earlier become the first wicketkeeper…

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Also see Champions Trophy, 2006 

Malcolm Speed, chief executive of the ICC, has blamed the ICC’s shortcomings with regard to implementing the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Code during the Champions Trophy on the lack of drug-testing culture in India.

"The current ICC Champions Trophy is our first tournament since we became signatories to the WADA Code and it has presented us with some challenging issues,'’ Speed said in a statement on Tuesday. "These issues are logistical ones and are understandable given no infrastructure or culture of drug-testing exists currently in India, and when these issues have been raised with us we have worked hard to ensure they have been dealt with."

Speed was responding to a top WADA official’s criticism on Monday that the ICC had an unprofessional attitude towards fighting the drug menace in the sport.

"We’ve been on many doping control testing missions with lots of federations," Yousef Hasan, the WADA official said. "We’ve been dealing with them professionally and they’ve been dealing back very professionally as well. But unfortunately, I can’t say the same thing about ICC."

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On Friday England’s Test squad sets off on the journey of a lifetime, from London to Sydney via Hong Kong, to begin their defence of the Ashes. This morning, Monty Panesar made a journey of a much more prosaic nature - from Luton to a park in Denmark Hill, South London, where he sat in a bandstand fielding questions and shivering in a biting autumnal breeze.

It was a far cry from the conditions he’ll face Down Under. Panesar is England’s not-so-secret weapon for the Ashes. Spared the rigours of the recent ICC Champions Trophy, he has being whiling away the hours since the end of the English season with gym and net sessions at the National Academy in Loughborough and at his county base in Northants. "I’ve just been keeping myself busy," he told the assembled press corps. "I’m really excited about going to Australia, I’m really looking forward to it."

Panesar is a cricketer of his times when it comes to press conferences. He’s not a man for the big statement, he just prefers to stick to "good areas" and let the ball do the talking. Australia, he points out, "is very passionate about cricket"; the prospect of big crowds are "exciting"; his hopes of playing in the Tests depend on "whatever the management feels is right". He is maddeningly yet gloriously deadpan.

One senses that nothing will ever rattle his cage - which is a useful character trait to possess when you have Australia’s finest lining up to tonk you out of the park. "It’ll all be part of my development," he shrugs with a quiet confidence. Four years ago, he was part of the academy squad that provided back-up to England’s walking wounded Test team. "I felt pretty comfortable out there. Rod Marsh taught me a few things, and it was beneficial. I got a few wickets, and there’s a bit more bounce, which helps the spinners."

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Also see Ashes, 2006.

The last two times South Africa have come up against West Indies in big tournaments - the World Cup and the Champions Trophy - they have been at the losing end. It could be just coincidence, but Graeme Smith, the South African captain, is certainly aware of the history. "We know that they beat us in the World Cup and the last Champions Trophy," he said at a pre-match press conference. "They’ve got some top-class players and if they play like that, they can beat any team in the world, like they’ve shown in the game against Australia in the earlier part of the tournament. You’ve got to give them all the credit."

But the same West Indian team folded for only 80 on another day, and consistency isn’t a word you’re likely to use in their context. This unpredictable nature could go against them in a big semi-final. "It’s the semi-final, so you’ve got to be sure you’re up for the game. West Indies have match-winners and in one-dayers one match-winner can win you a game," said Smith. "It’s like what we did against Pakistan, we just made sure that our own game is right, that’s our game plan. It’s been one of our strengths so far in this tournament. Tomorrow is going to be no different."

Another thing that has been inconsistent in this tournament is the pitches. From city to city, from strip to strip, each 22-yard patch has played differently. What did Smith make of this one? "It does look pretty dry at the moment but just looking at it and speaking to some guys in the teams that have played here in the earlier games, it has been a bit two-paced, a little bit up and down," he said. "I guess the harder ball will be difficult to bat against. Otherwise, the teams will have to adapt to the conditions. This wicket has been different from the ones we have played on. That’s the tough part of the tournament, every wicket has been different and adapting to the conditions has been the key."

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Also see Champions Trophy, 2006