SYDNEY – International Cricket Council chief executive Haroon Lorgat yesterday announced the formation of a Cricket Hall of Fame, in association with the Federation of International Cricketers' Associations (FICA), as part of the ICC's centenary year celebrations.

Speaking in Sydney at the launch of those celebrations, Lorgat said the Hall of Fame would provide the chance for the game to recognise its greatest achievers.

"Given a key theme of the ICC's centenary year is celebrating the game's heritage then the foundation of the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame is an entirely logical step," he said.

"It will provide a means of recognising the historical contribution of past players, officials and even institutions in making cricket what it is today, a great sport with a great spirit."

The initial intake of inductees are the 55 players named in the FICA Hall of Fame, which ran between 1999 and 2003, and their career statistics and biographies can be found at the new ICC centenary website, also launched yesterday – www.catchthespirit.com.

This will be supplemented by a select group of inductions each year, starting in 2009 when the newcomers will be announced during the ICC Awards ceremony.

The initial inductees (or, in the case of those who have passed away, their relatives) will be presented with a commemorative ICC Cricket Hall of Fame cap.

Those living members of the Cricket Hall of Fame will also have the chance to help choose new inductees, part of an inclusive selection process.

FICA chief executive Tim May said that he was delighted that FICA and the ICC had agreed to invigorate the FICA Hall of Fame concept and enter a joint venture to launch a fresh Hall of Fame. "FICA believes it is important to honour the outstanding contributions many individuals have made to the game," said May.

Former Australia wicketkeeper Rodney Marsh was the first Hall of Famer to receive his commemorative cap, from ICC President David Morgan in Sydney yesterday.

"I'm deeply honoured . . ." he said.

"Being recognised in this way is humbling, especially when I look at the names of the players in this list and think about those who will join it in the years to come."

Inductees

Sydney Barnes, Bishan Bedi, Alec Bedser, Richie Benaud, Allan Border, Ian Botham, Geoffrey Boycott, Donald Bradman, Greg Chappell, Ian Chappell, Denis Compton, Colin Cowdrey, Kapil Dev, Sunil Gavaskar, Lance Gibbs, Graham Gooch, David Gower, WG Grace, Tom Graveney, Gordon Greenidge, Richard Hadlee, Walter Hammond, Neil Harvey, Ron Headley, Jack Hobbs, Michael Holding, Leonard Hutton, Rohan Kanhai, Imran Khan, Alan Knott, Jim Laker, Harold Larwood, Dennis Lillee, Ray Lindwall, Clive Lloyd, Hanif Mohammad, Rodney Marsh, Malcolm Marshall, Peter May, Javed Miandad, Keith Miller, Bill O'Reilly, Graeme Pollock, Wilfred Rhodes, Barry Richards, Vivian Richards, Andy Roberts, Garfield Sobers, Brian Statham, Fred Trueman, Derek Underwood, Clyde Walcott, Everton Weekes, Frank Woolley, Frank Worrell.