October 02 Wednesday 2002
Pakistan refuse to play home series at neutral venues 

COLOMBO: Pakistan are refusing to play future home test series at neutral venues, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said on Tuesday. 

The Pakistan team have recently been forced to play their home matches at neutral venues because teams have refused to travel to their country because of security fears. They are set to start a three-test home series against Australia this week in Sri Lanka and Sharjah. 

"The board chairman Tauqir Zia has said this will be the last tour where Pakistan will be agreeing to play at a neutral venue," ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed said after an executive board meeting in Colombo. 

The Pakistan problem was discussed at length as it affected the ICC's 10-year test programme, Speed added. 

He told the meeting that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had incurred heavy revenue loss due to the shifting of its home games. 

Teams have refused to travel to Pakistan since New Zealand called off a tour in May following a bomb explosion in front of the team hotel on the opening morning of the second test in Karachi, which claimed 11 lives. 

Zia is also concerned about India's refusal to play Pakistan because of political tension between the two neighbouring countries. "India is scheduled to come to Pakistan three times in the next six years and he was concerned by the consequent loss of revenue," Speed said. 

The PCB wanted a safety review committee to be set up to decide on tours to Pakistan and the ICC to impose penalties on countries refusing to visit for political reasons. The ICC has asked its management committee to prepare a report in the next six weeks to study the PCB's demand. 

"It is not an easy issue to address concerns that occur between governments, those that have been there for many years," Speed said. 

ICC president Malcolm Gray said the board accepted its cricket committee's recommendation that no country should play more than 15 tests and 30 one-day games a year. It was also suggested that teams should be given a six-week break from playing every year, and a gap of at least 10 days between two tours. 

The practice of playing one-day internationals on consecutive days should be discouraged and a break of at least two days should be given between games, he said. 

"These guidelines come into effect immediately. The ICC does not agree with too much cricket and we have taken things to a stage where we need to put the brakes on," Speed said. 

"These suggestions have come out of the captains meeting held in July," he added. "But it is up to the national boards to comply with the recommendations."