International Cricket Council chief executive Haroon Lorgat said he is delighted seeing better behaviour from players in international cricket.

"I am very happy to say, however, that lately we have noticed a marked improvement in player behaviour as teams are determined to play the game in the right spirit.

"It is very heartening to see that and we will continue to ensure that it remains so," South African Lorgat said in an interview to espnstar.com.

Talking on the spirit of the game which will be crucial at this month's World Cup, Lorgat said: "The spirit of cricket is something we take very seriously and is part and parcel of the fabric of the game. It is vital for the continued success and attraction of cricket that it should be played in the right spirit.

Hard, but fair
"We expect cricketers to be competitive and play hard but we insist that they play fair. The players know their responsibilities and boundaries under the terms of the ICC Code of Conduct and if they overstep the mark they can expect to be reported by the umpires and appear before the match referee to answer the charges."