Series will be played as planned, assure Zimbabwe

Players call off strike, reach agreement over salaries.

KARACHI:

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has received an assurance from their counterparts Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) that the hosts will go forward with the planned series as a an earlier strike called by the Zimbabwe players which caused concerns, has reportedly ended.

The home team players were protesting against ZC over outstanding salary issues and had refused to attend training ahead of the series. They had formed a players’ union to resolve the matter and had refused to return to action until their demands were met.

However, according to latest reports on ESPNcricinfo the players have come to an agreement with the board, and after having been promised salaries, have agreed to resume training, allaying fears that the tour was in jeopardy.

Pakistan are scheduled to play two Twenty20s, three One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and two Tests in Zimbabwe from August 23.

The PCB spokesperson had earlier said the board was in constant touch with ZC over the issue. “We are in contact with ZC on a daily basis,” Nadeem Sarwar told The Express Tribune. “They have conveyed to us that there is no uncertainty over the tour.”

The players’ association formed by a group of senior players - believed to be Brendan Taylor, Hamilton Masakadza, Vusi Sibanda, Prosper Utseya and Elton Chigumbura - will become a permanent fixture in Zimbabwe cricket.

Zimbabwe cannot be taken for granted: Whatmore

Meanwhile, Pakistan team continued to train indoors due to continuous rain in Lahore.

Speaking on the training camp’s sidelines, Dav Whatmore promised all-out efforts from his team in the upcoming assignment. “It’s an important series for Pakistan,” said the Pakistan head coach.

“We don’t want to be complacent. There is a marked difference in our rankings but cricket has some uncertain glories in the game. We cannot take them for granted.”

The coach further said the tour would help prepare the team for the full home series against South Africa that will follow the Zimbabwe tour.

“Definitely, it will be helpful for the South Africa series. The team will get a chance to play in all formats. More importantly, we will end the Zimbabwe tour with a Test and start against South Africa with the Test series.”

Sri Lanka rejects night Tests with pink ball

Sri Lanka yesterday turned down a request from Pakistan to play day-night Tests in the upcoming series in the UAE where both countries have loyal fans.

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) said it decided against playing day-night Tests, “since the national team players have not practised under lights and with the new pink ball”.

The challenge facing such Tests has been to find a ball that is clearly visible in both sunshine and floodlights, and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said it had sent the Sri Lankan board a dozen balls of pink and orange colour for them to examine.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) had approved the day-night matches under floodlights as a way to stem dwindling interest in Tests in many countries.

Pakistan host Sri Lanka for three Tests, five ODIs and two Twenty20s in December and January in the UAE and Sarwar had thought that the conditions were right to experiment.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, August 17^th, 2013.

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