Former West Indies captain Clive Lloyd wants the International Cricket Council to set up a disaster relief fund to aid victims of the Asian earthquake. Two of the 10 Test nations - Sri Lanka and India - were among the worst affected by the disaster which has claimed more than 60,000 lives. The ICC has expressed its sympathy to the people of the region. But Lloyd wants it to go further. He said: "There is a lot of money in cricket - we should try to contribute." Lloyd, who lost two close friends in the South Asia disaster, is a leading ICC official as a match referee in Test matches. He wants a permanent charitable fund to be set up by world cricket's governing body in view of the wealth of money available from television rights, sponsorship and advertising revenue. Sri Lanka, where Lloyd's friends were staying before their hotel was demolished by the tsunami, said its final death toll could reach 25,000. The devastation in Galle, one of the worst-hit cities in the countries and a cricketing centre boasting one of the most important Test venues on the island, was massive. As a West Indian, Lloyd has been only too well aware of the power of nature this year. Four months ago, Hurricane Ivan devastated several Caribbean islands, including worst-hit Grenada, where more than 30 people were killed and thousands of buildings were wrecked, including the national cricket stadium. "You never know when these disasters will strike," added Lloyd, "but the cricket community should be able to help. These people are destitute." Australia's cricketers have donated all their winning prize money from the Melbourne Test against Pakistan to the disaster relief funds. That figure of Aus$17,000 was matched by Cricket Australia to provide a total of around £13,750. The ICC is expected to co-ordinate fund-raising initiatives during the two Test matches starting on 2 January, in Cape Town and Sydney. Reprinted from bbc.co.uk/sport2