Australia postpone Pakistan tour : Tour unlikely until at least 2009

[King]

Zimbabwe just played an entire one-day series without problems. What fckin problems does CA have with sending their team ? This is just BS, tbh.

I second this. Aussie players lives are far more valuable than Zimboks is it?

[Chandan]

they will be able to play the majority of the tournament. Will just miss 1-2 weeks

At least three weeks miss in a 44 days tournament. I wonder why would anyone bid for them to play for just 2 weeks. So they'll get a good base money and that itself is a very hefty amount considering that you might not even turn up for the tournament that year. I can understand the players' anxiety.

[stormskip]

The feeling "here" in Australia isn't only my thoughts as a club level administrator but within some state level administrators who seem to think that money is driving these threats not fear.....the fear is very much unfounded.Take a statistical look at the threat...do a standard old risk analysis....it is less than the flight over. The Oz general public is still beautifully in a state of paranoia about people being bombed. More aussies die from lightening strikes than being bombed each year.Get some perspective people! Play the game...get on with it.

[stormskip]

By the way, an old woman was killed by stabbing in Melbourne a couple of days ago. Per capita that might make Melbourne more dangerous than Pakistan today. Sad as it is, these horrific crimes happen throughout the world...Now I wouldn't call Melbourne a dangerous place.

[Guest dada_rocks]

More people are kileld every year due to smoking related illness than terrorist bombing so come on people let us have vacation in Baghdad and afghanistan. Stupidity of this line of thinking I can't emphasize any further..

[coffee_rules]

Don't Australia have military presence (occupation) in Afghaistan and Iraq? All the more reason not to tour Pakistan. Their cricketers are at a greater risk than SA or any other team. That too after the security in the country is so vulnerable since even Mohatarma Bhutto was assassinated. Much as I hate Aus team, I wouldn't want them to be a soft target for a bunch of loonies in search of a rendevouz with 70 virgins

[IndianRenegade]

Don't Australia have military presence (occupation) in Afghaistan and Iraq? All the more reason not to tour Pakistan. Their cricketers are at a greater risk than SA or any other team. That too after the security in the country is so vulnerable since even Mohatarma Bhutto was assassinated. Much as I hate Aus team, I wouldn't want them to be a soft target for a bunch of loonies in search of a rendevouz with 70 virgins

Get the number right.. 72 virgins... :D

[Feed]

Players to boycott Pakistan CRICKET Australia would face a player revolt if it agreed to tour Pakistan next month. More... By Malcolm Conn February 14, 2008 CRICKET Australia would face a player revolt if it agreed to tour Pakistan next month. While the tour remains extremely doubtful because of increasing security concerns, most of Australia's senior players have made it privately clear they would pull out of any visit to the strife-torn country should it proceed. The Australian Cricketers Association and Cricket Australia both reacted cautiously to the player boycott claim. CA and the ACA are preparing to be part of a security assessment which is due to visit Pakistan after postponed parliamentary elections, which are scheduled for Monday. However, even the security inspection is in doubt because of the rising level of violence. "We are aware of the significant concerns that the players have and they are concerns we share," Cricket Australia public affairs manager Peter Young said. "We're still moving through a process and we have a way to go before that process is finalised. "It's completely natural for anybody reading the media to be concerned about what's going on in Pakistan, but we need to go behind the media reports and understand the actuality. There is still a little way to go before we have a definitive picture on that." Chief executive Paul Marsh would say only that the ACA was continuing the process of seeking the best advice before making any decision. Chairman Creagh O'Connor has written to the Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Nasim Ashraf outlining CA's concerns. Ashraf claimed the letter said that independent security experts have advised Cricket Australia against touring Pakistan next month. "In the letter, they have reiterated their commitment to supporting us but at the same time they have said they have security briefings advising them against playing in Pakistan at this time," Ashraf said. Ashraf said he had told Cricket Australia it should send a security delegation one week after the general elections, again saying that cricketers were safe in Pakistan and no touring team had been affected by the security environment in any series. Young explained that Australia had not made any decision to abandon the tour. "Broadly, the letter reiterates there are some significant obstacles but that's not to say the obstacles are locked doors," Young said. "We need to work through some significant obstacles." Young played down threats attributed to the PCB that if Australia did not tour Pakistan then it would refuse to tour Australia as scheduled next year. "We're obviously keen to see them here and the circumstances of them visiting here have to be considered in isolation at that time," he said. "The particular circumstances this time include significant concerns about safety and security that we just can't ignore." Any team which fails to fulfil its obligations under the future tours program without adequate reason, such as safety and security, can be liable to millions of dollars in fines. CA chief executive James Sutherland reiterated that Australia has not toured Pakistan for 10 years and wanted to go if the circumstances were right. "We need Pakistan cricket to be strong and healthy if we are to have a genuinely global sport," Sutherland said. International player association (FICA) chief executive Tim May said he was concerned about safety and security surrounding the Champions Trophy, which is due to be held in Pakistan during September. "We are looking to be provided with advice from the ICC about what sort of security review they are proposing and when it will be performed," May said. Election meetings in Pakistan have been wrecked by suicide bombers and bomb attacks. Security fears have prompted many candidates to curb campaigning since former prime minister Benazir Bhutto was assassinated by a bombing and gun attack following a political rally two days after Christmas. Australia is due to leave in the second week of March for a six-week tour containing three Tests, five one-day matches and a Twenty20 game.

[King]

I can see the writing on the wall, say good bye to Pakistan cricket if Australia does not tour. The rest of the countries will follow suit and that'll pretty much mean Pakistan can't get enough players to be motivated to play for the nation considering there's a lot of moolah in Twenty20 tourneys in India. Lot of established players will prefer playing Twenty20s in India and Pakistan cricket bereft of cricketing heroes will be short found to inspire younger cricketers at grass root level. Yousuf will now be kicking himself for not siding with the ICL. I don't reckon he is salable any more.

[fineleg]

I can see the writing on the wall, say good bye to Pakistan cricket if Australia does not tour. The rest of the countries will follow suit and that'll pretty much mean Pakistan can't get enough players to be motivated to play for the nation considering there's a lot of moolah in Twenty20 tourneys in India. Lot of established players will prefer playing Twenty20s in India and Pakistan cricket bereft of cricketing heroes will be short found to inspire younger cricketers at grass root level. Yousuf will now be kicking himself for not siding with the ICL. I don't reckon he is salable any more.

Hope no one hires MoYo (add Punter, Pup and symo to that list of dont let them in ICL/IPL)

[Feed]

Australia not to tour Pakistan: report The Sydney Morning Herald claimed Cricket Australia is almost certain to scrap the tour regardless of the situation in Pakistan. More... February 18, 2008 13:04 IST Despite Pakistan Cricket Board's repeated assurances of players' safety, Australia are unlikely to go ahead with their scheduled tour of the troubled nation, a media report claimed in Melbourne on Monday. The Sydney Morning Herald claimed Cricket Australia is almost certain to scrap the tour regardless of the situation in Pakistan after Monday's election. The daily said CA would go by the advice of its security, which has advised the board not to send the players to Pakistan. Of late, the situation has become even worse in Pakistan and a suicide bombing at an election rally killed 46 and left more than 100 injured in the north-west town of Parachinar on Saturday. The International Cricket Council may have to step in and the series might be played on neutral venue despite Pakistan's objections, the daily said.

[ImranR]

Good will save us from getting thrashed :two_thumbs_up:

[sm332]

I hope that the ICC fine CA appropriately ... the last 3 tours went of without a hitch ... there is no cause here whatsoever ... there are rules in place if countries choose not to tour. Not touring is CA's perogative, PCB should be entitled to the appropriate financial compensation

[Dravid]

we were gonna get fined 1 million something right? ICC better fine these bastards tooo.. freaking pussies

[Feed]

Symonds will not go to Pakistan Andrew Symonds confirms he will not travel with Australia for the proposed tour of Pakistan in March. More... Australia all-rounder Andrew Symonds has ruled himself out of his country's proposed tour to Pakistan in March. Cricket Australia are still unsure if they will press on with the trip to the troubled nation. And Symonds, who had previously voiced doubts about the visit, confirmed he would turn down the chance to tour. "It's an unstable environment and I personally don't see the point of going," Symonds told Channel Ten television in Australia. "I just dread to think what would happen if someone got hurt, let alone killed. I don't think I would go, no," he added. Skipper Ricky Ponting and paceman Stuart Clark have also voiced reservations about the tour to Pakistan since former prime minister Benazir Bhutto was assassinated in December. Cricket Australia are continuing to assess the situation following this week's elections in Pakistan - in which the party of president Pervez Musharraf suffered sweeping losses. CA spokesman Peter Young said the advice to players had been to "keep calm" as the Australian government and cricket heavyweights investigated the situation. The competing nations' cricket boards are in discussion about the proposed tour, which is scheduled to include three Tests and five one-day matches. It is understood the Pakistan Cricket Board are set to offer a condensed series. Young said a meeting in Canberra next week, with high-ranking Australian government security officials, would likely provide a clearer picture going forward.

[Feed]

Australia's tour to Pakistan : Tour 'almost agreed' to, says PCB Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Nasim Ashraf claims Cricket Australia has "almost agreed" to tour the troubled country next month. More... 20/02/2008 10:46:28 PM Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Nasim Ashraf claims Cricket Australia has "almost agreed" to tour the troubled country next month. The tour has been in doubt due to safety concerns following the assassination of former Pakistan prime minister Benazir Bhutto last December. CA is continuing to assess the situation in the wake of this week's elections, which saw the party of president Pervez Musharraf suffer sweeping losses. The tour is expected to be shortened as a result of a meeting between CA chief executive James Sutherland and PCB chief operating officer Shafqat Naghmi in Kuala Lumpur. The previous itinerary included three Tests, five one-day internationals and a Twenty20 match. A PCB statement from Naghmi was quoted as saying in The News: "I am glad that we had very open and fruitful discussions with CA where we were assured that they were committed to touring Pakistan." "It is a very positive development." "The Australians have almost agreed to tour Pakistan and we are now very hopeful that the series will finally take place. We will finalise the other details once it's officially decided that the tour will go ahead." The curtailed tour would run for a month - March 29 to April 27 - and may include only limited-overs matches.

[Feed]

No Pakistan tour, no IPL: CA to Symonds Cricket Australia has warned Andrew Symonds of a possible ban from the IPL if he decides to boycott next month's Pakistan tour because of security fears. More... Indo-Asian News Service Melbourne, February 22, 2008 First Published: 21:23 IST(22/2/2008) Last Updated: 23:16 IST(22/2/2008) Cricket Australia has warned Andrew Symonds of a possible ban from the Indian Premier League (IPL) if he decides to boycott next month's Pakistan tour because of security fears, Australian media reported on Friday. Just hours before he became Australia's richest cricketer in the IPL auction on Wednesday night, Symonds declared that he would opt out of the tour, even if CA ruled Pakistan safe to visit next month. At the request of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), the tour has been delayed until March 29 and cut to just three Tests with a hope that tensions in Pakistan will calm down in wake of this week's elections. While Symonds softened his stance Thursday, claiming the door was "ajar", the CA seemed in no mood to be kind to the star all-rounder and warned that he would be in breach of contract if he ignored the advice of CA and the Australian Cricketers' Association (ACA), a view which captain Ricky Ponting shared, the Herald Sun reported Friday. Symonds would have to be given permission by CA to join the multi-million dollar league - a stipulation the IPL has endorsed - that would be extremely unlikely. Some senior CA officials said privately last night that a dangerous precedent would be set if Symonds had his own way. CA spokesman Peter Young, however, refused to talk specifically about Symonds, who continues to infuriate the board officials. But Young outlined the process that would await the all-rounder if he were the only Australian to boycott the trip on unfounded safety and security fears. "Setting Andrew Symonds aside, that's a hypothetical question because at the moment he is telling us playing for Australia comes first," Young said Thursday. "There are 25 players that have signed contracts to play for Australia. Under the terms of that contract, they are required to play cricket for the nation as and where we want them." Young further specified that if an Australian player decides to take a break from national duties to take out time to play for any other team, he has to follow certain guidelines as mentioned in the contract. "If players want to take leave from CA and effectively take time out to play for a second employer, (they) are required to go through a process as spelt out in the memorandum of understanding. "It would lead them and their second employer to signing an overseas club playing agreement. The player needs our permission before the player can go and do that," he said. However, Symonds said Thursday that he would wait until late next month before making a call. "The door is ajar, but you know where I stand on it," Symonds said. "At the time that happens, I'll have to make a decision that I have to stand by." Skipper Ponting is of the view that his teammate would find himself in trouble if he decides to pull out of the Pakistan tour. "It's a difficult question. I think it would be some sort of breach of his CA contract, I would imagine," said Ponting. "Whether it's unfair or not, we have all signed off on it." A CA and ACA delegation will head to Canberra within weeks to seek further advice from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on whether to tour Pakistan next month or not.

[beetle]

:hysterical: And now his skipper is pissed off too....

[Guest Hiten.]

yep...because Symo is worth in millions whereas punter is cheaper than peanuts

[Dirty_South]

hahaha..losers :haha: