da 888casino： Most international teams would balk at last-minute attempts to organiseunscheduled tours in an already congested calendar, but Sri Lanka’scricketers have apparently informed the Board of Control for Cricket in SriLanka (BCCSL) that they are
Charlie Austin27-Sep-2001Most international teams would balk at last-minute attempts to organiseunscheduled tours in an already congested calendar, but Sri Lanka’scricketers have apparently informed the Board of Control for Cricket in SriLanka (BCCSL) that they are willing to undertake a short tour of Pakistan.Pakistan cricket, facing a financial crisis after the last-minute withdrawalof New Zealand in the wake of the US terrorist attack and India’scancellation of a three-Test series earlier this year for political reasons,sent a SOS tour invitation to the Sri Lankan board last week, to fill thegap left vacant by the CLEAR Black Cap pullout. The plan was for threeone-day matches in mid-October.The players were then consulted by the BCCSL and according to a BCCSLofficial: "The players have shown a keenness to go to Pakistan and helpthem out of a financial dilemma, after the support Pakistan gave us duringthe 1996 World Cup."That support occurred five years ago when Australia and West Indies refusedto play their World Cup qualifying round matches in Colombo after a TamilTiger suicide bomb. Facing lost revenue and a tarnished image abroad theBCCSL were rescued when players from Pakistan and India traveled to Colomboto play a hastily arranged curtain raiser.Sri Lankan captain Sanath Jayasuriya confirmed his players support onThursday, saying: "We are willing to go. Pakistan helped us in 1996 and wewould like to return that favour now if our government gives the all-clear."The BCCSL are now awaiting clearance from the Foreign Office, which wascontacted on Tuesday."Since the initial invitation was made to our CEO there has been no furthercommunication, so once we get the clearance we will take if from there andask the Pakistan Cricket Board whether they still want us," a BCCSL officialsaid Wednesday.The seemingly supportive position of the players is unexpected with tensionsrising as a result of the massive US military build-up in the region andgrowing fears of a full-blown conflict.The New Zealand team, who were in transit at the time of the terroristattack in the US, wasted no time before aborting their tour of Pakistan andhave shown little interest in an invitation for a shortened tour.England’s cricketers, currently touring Zimbabwe, a country that is beingtorn apart by violent land disputes, have already indicated a willingness toabandon a planned tour of India later this year. One columnist summed up thecurrent feeling towards touring in the sub-continent: "At least half theparty would happily abandon that on the pretext of a minor traffic accidentin Delhi."Graham Thorpe was the latest to voice concerns this week, saying: “As aplayer you would be extremely apprehensive about going out there and playingcricket in the current climate. It doesn’t take a genius to work that out.Another month down the line it might be different but if the tour was comingup in the next few weeks then I’m sure we wouldn’t go.”West Indies, due to tour Sri Lanka in November and Pakistan early next year,have called for an urgent review of all touring plans in a planned boarddirectors meeting in Antigua this weekend.So, Sri Lanka’s willingness to play in Pakistan, a country historicallyclose to the Taliban and where there have been violent anti-Americandemonstrations in the aftermath of the government siding with the US, isreally quite remarkable, some would say foolhardy."We will ensure the matches will be played in areas further from the Afghanborder like in Karachi and Lahore," promised the BCCSL official.Nevertheless, despite such assurances, not all the players are believed tobe supportive of the plan. One dissenting voice said: "Why should we riskour safety in Pakistan? The situation in 1996 and now is completelydifferent."A final decision will be made when the Interim Committee of the BCCSL meeton 2 October.