SA call for venue change in Pakistan(Merged)

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South African delegation satisfied, according to Pakistani police :hehe: Pak Police janwar ko manwa le ye to phir insan hain :hehe:

The South African delegation have expressed their satisfaction over the security arrangements made by Pakistani police for South Africa’s tour later this month, a senior police officer said today.

Tariq Jamil, a city police chief, said: “In an hour-long meeting we assured them of the top-level security to be provided to the South African team and they were happy and satisfied.”

The meeting, which was held at the office of the paramilitary Rangers was attended by senior police and security officials. And Jamil added: “We told them that there is no specific threat either to the South African team or to the scheduled matches here.”

Asad Ashraf Malik, another police officer, said that the South African team would be escorted by the Rangers, while the paramilitary soldiers would also be deployed at the hotel and stadium. He said: “People of Karachi are crazy about cricket and are looking forward to seeing exciting cricket. They love South Africa and the players can themselves judge from the reception they get here.”

The three-member delegation includes commercial director Ian Smith, security director Bob Nicholas and Ben van Deventer from the South African police services. They arrived in Pakistan on Saturday to ascertain security at the venues ahead of the tour.

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S.Africa call up Nel and Langeveldt for Pakistan tour

Fast bowlers Andre Nel and Charl Langeveldt have won places in South Africa’s 15-man squad to tour Pakistan starting next week.

Nel and Langeveldt were selected ahead of Dewald Pretorius and Charl Willoughby, who joined wicketkeeper Thami Tsolekile and fast bowler Monde Zondeki as the casualties from the 17-man squad that drew the test series in England earlier this month.

Left-arm spinner Paul Adams will not be considered for the three one-day internationals, while veteran batsman Gary Kirsten will replace all-rounder Alan Dawson in the squad from which the teams to play in the three test matches will be chosen.

The selection was a vote of confidence in Graeme Smith’s team, who went to England as underdogs and took a 2-1 lead into the final test. England won by nine wickets to square the series.

The squad named on Monday by the United Cricket Board (UCB) is scheduled to leave for Pakistan on Sunday.

But the tour is in jeopardy in the wake of South Africa’s reluctance to play in Karachi and Peshawar after being advised by their government to avoid the two cities as well as Pakistan’s border with Afghanistan.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has declined South Africa’s request to move matches from those areas and a UCB delegation arrived in Pakistan at the weekend to assess player security.

Media reports from Pakistan on Monday said the delegation was satisfied that South Africa’s tour party would be safe.

However, UCB chief executive Gerald Majol, said the board would make a decision on the issue only after the delegation had submitted its report. The three-man team is due to return to South Africa on Wednesday.

“The UCB delegation are currently in Pakistan and are consulting with the PCB and their security agencies,” Majola said in a UCB news release.

"We are aware of reports emanating from Pakistan officials today, but we will only be able to make a clear judgment on security issues once our delegation has returned from Pakistan and submitted their report.

“We are also continuing to consult our government on the matter.”

One-day squad:

Graeme Smith (captain), Paul Adams, Mark Boucher, Alan Dawson, Boeta Dippenaar, Herschelle Gibbs, Andrew Hall, Jacques Kallis, Charl Langeveldt, Neil McKenzie, Andre Nel, Makhaya Ntini, Robin Peterson, Shaun Pollock, Jacques Rudolph.

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This is the strongest squad South Africa has to offer, atleast in test matches.
Their batting is 10 times stronger then ours and their bowling is very good as well, Pollock, Ntini, Hall and rest.

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The tour is scheduled to start in a week’s time and SA still havent made up their mind. :rolleyes:

No decision yet taken on cricket security: South Africa](http://uk.sports.yahoo.com/030915/323/e8hoy.html)

JOHANNESBURG (AFP) - South African cricket’s chief executive Gérald Majola said no decision had been taken regarding security concerns over the team’s upcoming tour to Pakistan.

This was despite reports from Pakistani police officials, who said in Karachi Sunday that South African security officials expressed their satisfaction over arrangements made by Pakistan’s police.

“The United Cricket Board of South Africa (UCB) delegation is currently in Pakistan and are consulting with the Pakistani Cricket Board (PCB) and their security agencies,” Majola said in a statement.

“We are aware of reports emanating from Pakistani officials, but we will only be able to make a clear judgment on security issues once our delegation has returned and submitted their report.”

The three-member delegation of South African security officials arrived in Pakistan on Saturday to ascertain security at the venues.

The delegation was briefed by police and paramilitary rangers in Karachi and Peshawar, PCB officials said.

The UCBSA had demanded that the PCB relocate matches scheduled in the southern port of Karachi and the northwestern border city of Peshawar over security concerns.

South Africa has already been offered security levels usually reserved for state heads by the PCB.

The UCBSA delegation includes commercial director Ian Smith, security director Bob Nicholas and Ben van Deventer from the South African police services.

Deventer also served as the security director of the World Cup, held in South Africa, Kenya and Zimbabwe in February-March this year.

The South African team during its September 22 to October 27 tour will play three one-day internationals and as many Tests.

They play a one-day warm up game on September 24 and a one-day international on September 26 – both in Karachi.

The South African team will also play a Test each in Peshawar (October 16-20) and in Karachi (October 23-27).

Pakistan also hosts a day-night one-day match against Bangladesh in Karachi on September 21, a day before the South African team is scheduled to arrive in the city.

Pakistan has suffered a cricket drought as foreign teams have refused to tour the country following two suicide bomb blasts in Karachi during Test series in May and June last year.

Pakistan was forced to play two of its home series matches against the West Indies and Australia at neutral venues last year as both teams refused to tour the country.

The first blast on May 8 outside a hotel where the New Zealand team was staying forced them to pack their bags and cut the tour short by one Test.

However, New Zealand are set to compensate for that match by touring Pakistan in November this year when they will play five one-day games.

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The security team of the UCBSA will meet the officials of the UCBSA on Wednesday or Thursday, and submit their report. So I figured, on Friday or weekend, we’ll know the stand of UCBSA. :slight_smile:

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Decision on Pakistan cricket tour up to South Africa govt, says Smith](Yahoo is part of the Yahoo family of brands.)

ISLAMABAD (AFP) - A South African delegation said it was satisfied with Pakistani security arrangements for the Proteas’ upcoming tour but a final decision on the series would only be made by government and cricket officials in Johannesburg.

“Our job was to inspect security arrangements for the South African team starting from the airport to hotels and the grounds. And I can say that we are satisfied with them,” Ian Smith, spokesman of the three-member delegation told reporters here on Tuesday.

“We will submit a detailed report on the security here to the United Cricket Board of South Africa (UCBSA) and to the government and it is up to them to take a final decision,” said Smith, also a commercial director of the UCBSA.

“The Pakistan cricket board (PCB), police and rangers have put up a great display of arrangements for us and we hope the same will be done for the team as well.”

Pakistan has suffered a cricket drought in the past 18 months, with foreign teams refusing to tour the country following two suicide bomb blasts in Karachi during Test series in May and June last year.

Pakistan was forced to play two of its home series matches against the West Indies and Australia at neutral venues last year as both teams refused to tour the country.

UCBSA had demanded that the PCB relocate matches scheduled for the violence-prone southern port city of Karachi and the northwestern border city of Peshawar, bordering Afghanistan, over security concerns.

The South African delegation which also includes UCBSA security director Bob Nicholas and Director of South African police services Ben Van Denter visited Karachi and Peshawar on Monday and also held a meeting with South Africa’s High Commissioner in Islamabad on Tuesday.

“We know there are no specific threats to the South African cricket team in Pakistan but we are not in a position to clear the tour,” Smith said.

Police and para-military officials briefed the delegation on security and also showed them all the drills reserved for the team. The delegation is due to leave later Tuesday.

The South African team, announced on Monday, is due to arrive in Karachi on Monday to play three one-day internationals, three Tests, a warm-up one-day game and a three-day side match.

They are scheduled to play two one-day games and a Test in Karachi (October 23-27 and one Test in Peshawar from October 16-20.

South Africa has already been offered security levels usually reserved for state heads by the PCB. Pakistan expects a final decision by Friday.

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**Decision due on South Africa’s Pakistan tour **

Wisden CricInfo Staff - September 18, 2003

A decision is expected before the end of the day on whether South Africa will tour Pakistan, starting next week. Players were being consulted today by the United Cricket Board of South Africa on the matter before a final decision is made.

The players had already been briefed after the return of a three-man group that assessed the security matters in Pakistan, but they decided on another briefing. A point of issue is Pakistan’s belief that matches in Karachi and Peshawar that the South Africans requested by changed do not need to be moved.

The South Africans are due to leave on Sunday for the three-Test, three one-day internationals tour.

© Wisden CricInfo Ltd

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South Africa has decided that the tour will go ahead as scheduled. Good news for cricket fans in Pakistan. :k:

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^^ well yeah but a conditional one :hoonh:

SA Confirms Pakistan tour

After weeks of the now-customary “will-they-won’t-they” wranglings, South Africa have confirmed that their tour of Pakistan will take place as planned. Representatives of the UCB, the South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA) and the tour party met with security advisors, who have recently returned from Pakistan and were able to address various concerns.

The UCB has emphasised, however, that the tour will not be concluded unless the Pakistan authorities follow their stated security plan to the letter. And though, at present, the risk in Pakistan is at an acceptable level, any escalation in tensions may yet cause the tour to be abandoned.

The President of the UCB, Ray Mali, was present at the meeting with Director Ben van Deventer of the South African Police Services and Bob Nicholls, the UCB’s security consultant. He expressed his appreciation to the South African and Pakistan governments for the professional and thorough manner in which they had dealt with the UCB’s concerns.

Mr Mali was equally grateful to the team and the players’ association for the level of trust they had placed in the UCB. “This is a team of which all South African people can be proud,” he said. “We wish them all the best in Pakistan.”

“We as a team are aware that we face major challenges on the tour,” said South Africa’s captain, Graeme Smith. “But we nevertheless intend to give 100% commitment to our country, in what may be difficult circumstances.”

Tony Irish, the CEO of SACA, said: “The commitment of the players in circumstances where there had been concerns, has arisen out of the implementation of a consultative process between SACA, the UCBSA and security consultants. The players had placed their trust in the information arising out of that process.”

South Africa fly out to Pakistan on Sunday, September 21, where they are due to play three Tests and three ODIs.

any bets that they will leave even after a firecracker sound??

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There's news that a bomb just went off in Karachi. I think the tour must be in doubt now.

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It will be a shame if this leads to the cancellation of the tour.

**REPORTS: BOMB BLAST IN KARACHI **](http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30000-1104461,00.html)

A bomb hidden in a rubbish bin on the 10th floor of an office building in Karachi shattered windows and rained debris onto the street below.

There have been no reports of casualties but residents said the explosion was loud enough to be heard throughout the city.

Police official Mohammed Ashraf said there was no major damage and no apparent injuries.

The bomb happened in the evening and the offices were already closed.

Interior Ministry spokesman Iftikhar Ahmad said they had no indication of who was behind the blast.

Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city, has been the site of several terrorist attacks in recent years, as well as bouts of sectarian violence.

In June 2002, a suicide bomber blew up a truck in front of the USConsulate in Karachi, killing 14 Pakistanis.

The attack came a month after another suicide attack in the city that killed 11 French engineers.

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[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by saby: *
"We as a team are aware that we face major challenges on the tour," said South Africa's captain, Graeme Smith. "But we nevertheless intend to give 100% commitment to our country, in what may be difficult circumstances."

[/QUOTE]

Oh bhai cricket khelnay jaa rahey ho jang larney nahi.... they are making it sound like they are going to play in Afghanistan during war time and by giving these emotionally charged statements I think they are just ballooning their ego's. Talk about being an ego maniac.