Even the South African Media is supporting Pakistan on this issue.
Many South Africans have barely recovered from the acute sense of insult that we felt when certain of the stabler and more orderly countries of the world jeopardised “our” World Cup, mere months ago. One team decided that it was dangerous to set foot in Zimbabwe, whose president seemed to have something against their prime minister. Another got jumpy about Kenya, where some al-Qaeda-style force had casually killed a lot of local people to express dislike of the United States.
How furious we were! How scornful of these spoiled chicken-hearts who wanted to live in cotton-wool forever! Here was one of those occasions when all South Africans felt united as Africans. We were united by common experience - hey, we had known times of strife, we had overcome them. We were united in disdain for pampered people who put their heads under pillows whenever a car backfired. And we were seriously upset that our African hospitality was being spurned.
**And now? What a wanton social heart attack have we given that cricket-mad country, Pakistan. Bombs went off! How dare they expect our boys to be put at risk? Cancel the tour!
This is South Africans speaking, is it? People who have known only too well that you can have civil war raging in one part of town while the next suburb is oblivious? People who know that danger is built into the warp and woof of life? People who are extremely well aware that statistically we all face much more danger from car crashes than from political discord? People who would consider it eccentric to worry about visiting New York?
There have been times the United Cricket Board and its team have made it almost embarrassing to be South African. This time they go way over the top, and not through shortcomings with bat or ball. This one is cold and deliberate choice.
May the current re-examination process arrive at and stay with the right decision. May Pakistan’s cricketers and Pakistan’s people forgive us our aberration. May we, whenever we suffer from tired players and overlong tours, be sure we never scapegoat any other country’s dignity.**
^Great article in the South African Star, and a very fair perspective on the whole issue, which let's face it, is more about the South African players not wanting to tour Pakistan because they have had their fill with 3 month's in England and has little to do with security as even their captain has admitted in a roundabout way. That's why the tour won't be 100% confirmed until the players have agreed which we will learn in the next 24 hrs.
Quite a critical moment for Pakistani and world cricket as if this one gets the green light, NZ will follow and then there will be enormous pressure for India to fulfil their obligation in Feb 2004. For the good of the game and it's supporters, let's hope that's the case.
And is very right in doing so. :k:
Langeveldt anxious for tour to happen
Charl Langeveldt is probably the most disappointed cricketer in South Africa at the moment.
The swing bowler was due to start his first tour as a member of the Test squad to Pakistan on Sunday but the tour was cancelled after a bomb explosion in Karachi last Friday.
The only uncapped member of the touring team, Langeveldt had been anxious to break into the Test team on the tour.
“Yes, I’m bitterly disappointed,” Langeveldt said from Pretoria Tuesday where he is playing in the MTN Club Championships for Border team United.
Langeveldt has represented South Africa on tour overseas before but only as a member of the one-day squad.
He toured Australia in 2001/02 and played in the limited-overs triangular tournament in England earlier this year.
Langeveldt has a good first-class career record since his debut for Boland in 1997/98.
His career-best bowling figures are 5-19 for Boland against Free State in 2000/01 while his best bowling in an ODI was 4-21 against Kenya at Newlands in 2001-02.
A useful lower-order batsman, Langeveldt has reached the 50-mark once in his career when he scored 56 for Boland against Eastern Province at Port Elizabeth in 1999/00.
He has so far played 33 first-class matches and has scored 467 runs (average 14.59) with one half-century while capturing 83 wickets (30.14).
Langeveldt is now anxiously waiting to hear whether the tour will be rescued.
“If not, at least Border will put a strong team in the field, with Makhaya Ntini, Monde Zondeki and myself to bowl, with Mark (Boucher) to 'keep and bat,” Langeveldt said.
Why isn't Langeveldt worried about security? Maybe because unlike the pampered superstars who are established in the team he wants to make his mark in the game rather than play golf.
Safricans in Pakistan urge tour to go ahead
South Africa’s beleagured cricket administrators received strong encouragement to go ahead with their on-off tour of Pakistan on Tuesday when a group of fellow countrymen in that country said they would find the trip “brilliant” and “fantastic”.
“The people overall have been very, very friendly and the hospitality all round has been fantastic,” television production director Hayley Muir told Supercricket from Karachi.
Muir is one of nine South Africans on the team that produced pictures of the recently concluded series between Pakistan and Bangladesh.
“It’s difficult being a South African in Pakistan at the moment because the level of disappointment is so strong. The most common question I am asked is ‘Madam, what is your country?’ For the last seven weeks people were thrilled and excited when I said South Africa but now they are sad and confused. They just don’t understand why they pulled out,” Muir said.
Muir said the Europeans on the production crew had “never felt hotel-bound” and had been out to restaurants and markets in both Karachi and Peshawar “without ever feeling threatened.”
Whilst aknowledging that an international cricket team may be targeted for a high-impact attack, Muir said her cameramen and other production crew were “in amongst the crowd and interacting with people all the time without once being intimidated or threatened.”
Muir’s team were given an armed escort by the country’s Rangers between the hotel and the ground: “They were excellent, a lot of them having overseas training and speaking impeccable English. There is significant security at the grounds and hotels, too, and it feels highly organised,” Muir said.
“I sympathise with the players feeling nervous but I can’t help feeling they are only nervous because they just don’t know what it’s like here. We can honestly say that we have had a fantastic tour so far and it’s going to be very, very sad if it comes to an abrupt ending like this.”
:k: The tour is on.
South Africa tour set to get underway](http://www-usa4.cricket.org/link_to_database/ARCHIVE/CRICKET_NEWS/2003/SEP/262838_CI_23SEP2003.html)
**South Africa’s tour of Pakistan is set to get underway on Thursday, after a last-minute deal with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). Following Friday night’s bomb blast in Karachi, the PCB has agreed to cancel two matches due to be held in Karachi and Peshawar. The new itinerary will comprise three ODIs but just two Tests, one fewer than originally intended. **
Confirming the news, PCB officials said the United Cricket Board (UCB) had agreed in principle to the rearrangement, after consultation with South African government, Eric Simons, the coach, and Graeme Smith, the captain. Written approval will be received before the end of the week.
“We made a decision on Saturday, based on information from our security consultants who had also been in contact with intelligence agencies,” said Gerald Majola, the chief executive of the UCB. “That information was that the situation in Pakistan, particularly following a bomb blast in Karachi on Friday evening, meant that sending our team to Karachi on Sunday as planned would have constituted an unacceptable risk.”
Rameez Raja, chief executive of the Pakistan board, had been eager to allay South Africa’s fears. “[There were] misconceptions about Friday’s blast,” he said. “After talking to our security officials, they got the clear picture that the blast was not linked to terrorism.”
Great news. Now let’s wipe the funking floor with them 
Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! :bhangra:
Could someone please post the new itinary?
Lets hope if Pakistan can win this…:k:
I bet the South Africans will get a shock - and hopefully will feel some sense of shame when they get what will probably be a great reception from fans in Pakistan. If the tour had been called off they couldn't have shown their faces again, but now I reckon the public will forgive and forget and make them feel welcome.
YAAAHOOOOO!! i wish pakistan beat them to pay back for all this trouble!
Shouldn’t be difficult- the Proteas are tired, confused and now embarrassed.
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by karina: *
Shouldn't be difficult- the Proteas are tired, confused and now embarrassed.
[/QUOTE]
Well I would have made them favourites before the on/off cancellation, they are a strong outfit, but yes they will be on the back foot now and the whole business will have fired the Pak players up 150%.
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Some1: *
If Pak implements this policy of yours then they would not have anyone left to play cricket against (well maybe BD...)
[/QUOTE]
Whatever - This trick works at least with India.
Thats great news. I hope SAns enjoy their trip and provide exciting cricket :k:
I dindt see it, and I opened a new thred :(…
any way, thats a very good news… at least now we can see our so called super stars in some real action…
Whats the team going to look like? Are we including Wasim, Afridi, Mushtaq, Moin back into squad?
[QUOTE]
Originally posted by Pakistani Tiger: *
....
**Team:* Shahid Afridi, Salim Elahi, Imran Nazir, Naveed Latif, Misbah-ul- Haq, Azhar Mahmood, Moin Khan, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Mushtaq Ahmed, Saqlain Mushtaq, Bilal Asad, Saeed bin Nasir, Wahab Riaz.
...
[/QUOTE]
No Yasir Hameed, Inzimam, Yousuf Youhanna, Shoaib Malik, Umar Gul, Shoaib Akhtar etc? I hope this was just a chaos.