Venues, lodging problems bother PCB ahead of India tour

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Venues, lodging problems bother PCB ahead of India tour](http://www.jang.com.pk/thenews/)

KARACHI: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is faced with a “logistical headache” in the run-up to the eagerly awaited March-April home series against India.

Although the Indian cricket board is yet to confirm the tour programme, the Pakistan Cricket Board officials are already facing logistic problems scheduling the matches and making other related arrangements.

And these problems could increase as insiders say the Pakistan board has decided in principle to organize the matches directly at all venues with the help of the local administration and law enforcement agencies, instead of having them organized by the provincial cricket associations or regional/city associations as was done in the past.

The biggest problem facing the board is scheduling of the matches as only three veneus - Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi/Islamabad have the hotels and stadiums to cater to the huge interest in the series.

“In these three places there will be no problems accommodating the teams, match officials, board persons and the print and electronic media because they have plenty of high class hotels and the stadiums also has facilities for the over 150 print and electronic media personal that would be involved in covering the series,” a board official said.

“In other cities like Multan, Faisalabad and to a lesser extent in Peshawar the arrangements can still be made but Multan and Faisalabad are posing problems because both have only one four or five star hotel and a few other quality hotels. The available accomodation is not enough in these cities to cater to the requirements of the series,” he added.

He said that Ten Sports who would be covering the series had already sent in requests to the board to book 70 rooms at every centre for their entire staff including commentators, producers and technical staff who will cover the series.

“Then, we are expecting atleast 100 plus personnel from the newspapers, agencies and other electronic media for the matches. Combine these figures with the 50 to 60 rooms we require for the teams, match officials, board officials and official guests and you can imagine the logistical problems we are facing in scheduling the matches at places like Multan and Faisalabad.”

He pointed out that though the board was very keen to have a match in Multan as it had one of the best venues in the country, it had to ensure no one faced accomodation problems and there was adequate space for the media in the stadium.

“Faisalabad has the same problem of few five or four star hotels and their bigger problem is there is limited space for the media in the stadium itself. The board is also keeping in mind that Faisalabad this season has already hosted one Test and three one-dayers against Bangladesh, South Africa and New Zealand,” the official said.

He pointed out that when Bangladesh, SA and NZ played at these venues there were no logistical problems because a limited print and electronic media contingent covered the matches.

Another board official said the longer the Indians took to confirm the tour itinerary the more logistical problems there would be for the board because of the security cover involved for the Indians.

The board has as yet earmarked Karachi, Lahore, Pindi, Faisalabad, Peshawar and Multan to host the matches but the major cities could end up hosting more than one match. “What is certain is that Karachi and Lahore will host more than one match but one Test could be held in Peshawar, while Pindi could host two ODIs,” the official said.

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oho, another hurdle :smack:

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hurdle upon hurdle…

http://www.hindustantimes.com/htcricket/14_529691.htm

BCCI, PCB yet to agree on tour schedule
Press Trust of India
Islamabad, January 12

The delay in announcing the itinerary for the upcoming series between India and Pakistan has been attributed to failure of cricket authorities on both the sides in reaching an agreement.

Pakistan is yet to announce the schedule for the series which is to be held in March-April this year.

“Since both the Cricket Boards have not been able to reach an understanding, the tour itinerary has not been announced as yet nor has the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) started making preparations for the important series,” a source in the PCB said yesterday.

Although the Board had sent a reminder to BCCI asking to confirm the itinerary, the Indian Board was insisting on first playing the five one-day internationals and then the three Tests during the 35-day tour.

“However, PCB is adamant that first the Tests should be held and then the one-day series. Their argument is that by having the Tests first they will attract crowds to the stadiums,” the source was quoted as saying by ‘The News’.

“But if they have the traditionally crowd-pulling ODIs first it will take the gloss of the Test series.”

The source disclosed that the Indian stand was that since India and Pakistan would both be entering the series fresh from a one-day tournament in Australia and New Zealand respectively, it made more sense to first have the ODIs and then the Tests.

The result is that till yesterday BCCI had not sent in their approval to the itinerary proposed by Pakistan although they have confirmed in writing they would be making the historical trip.

“It is not an easy situation for the PCB because lot of arrangements have to be made for the series,” the source said.

He pointed out that the PCB had already acceded to the Indian request of trimming the seven match one-day series to five games although this would result in loss of earnings for the Board in millions because of the big market for limited overs cricket on television and among advertisers and sponsors.

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This is really hitting the bottom, arguing about what should be played first ODI or Tests. Both sets of arguments make sense. Let them draw straws and make the decision. Will be quicker than all the arguments going forwards and backwards.

Really would be a tragedy if the series is aborted or postponed because of trivalities like these.

How about playing 3 ODI's then test series and round it off with a further two ODI's. :)

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Ha, we seem to be on the same wavelength! I was just thinking that the next round of arguments the bcci would come up with is exactly that, if the pcb agrees to playing the odi’s first. Or how about this - play one odi, then two days of the first test, second odi, 3 days of first test…etc. If the test starts in Multan it can even end up in Karachi!

Anyway, what would an Indo/Pak series be without silly bickering. :hehe:

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Well said. :hehe:

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*BCCI, PCB yet to finalise tour schedule
*

January 12, 2004 16:37 IST

The delay in announcing the itinerary for the upcoming series between India and Pakistan has been attributed to the failure of cricket authorities on both sides in reaching an agreement.

Pakistan is yet to announce the schedule for the series, which is to be held in March-April this year.

"Since both the cricket Boards have not been able to reach an understanding, the tour itinerary has not been announced as yet, nor has the Pakistan Cricket Board started making preparations for the important series," a source in the PCB said on Sunday.

The PCB had sent a reminder to the Board of Control for Cricket in India asking it to confirm the itinerary, but it is learnt that the Indian Board is insisting on first playing the five One-Day Internationals and then the three Tests during the 35-day tour.

"However, the PCB is adamant that first the Tests should be held and then the one-day series. Their argument is that by having the Tests first they will attract crowds to the stadiums," the source was quoted as saying by The News.

"But if they have the traditionally crowd-pulling ODIs first it will take the gloss of the Test series."

The source said the BCCI feels that since the teams of both countries will be entering the series fresh from one-day tournaments in Australia and New Zealand, it makes more sense to first have the ODIs and then the Tests.

Till yesterday [Sunday] the BCCI had not given its approval to the itinerary proposed by Pakistan although it confirmed in writing that the team will be making the historical trip.

"It is not an easy situation for the PCB because lot of arrangements have to be made for the series," the source said.

He pointed out that the PCB had already acceded to the Indian request of trimming the seven match one-day series to five games although it would result in loss of earnings in millions because of the big market for limited-overs cricket on television and among advertisers and sponsors.

FG's comment: Why is it India's business to demand ODI's be played before or after the tests. In every series I have known, OBI's are ALWAYS played after the tests.

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Lame Excuse @ "Indian stand was that since India and Pakistan would both be entering the series fresh from a one-day tournament in Australia and New Zealand respectively, it made more sense to first have the ODIs and then the Tests"

Cricket is a Professional game and time comes when team has to switch and adjust to the change in version of the game. BCCI can ask for a bit long gap between test and ODIs so that they can play (limited over) side game(s)

Assume this logic correct for a second then BCCI will ask to have a game at the stadium with D/N game facility because they would be coming from AUS after playing D/N games, and after that they will ask for games on fast pitches first because they would be coming from AUS after playing on fast pitches, and after that...

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[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Decent 6Chora: *
.. and after that they will ask for games on fast pitches first because they would be coming from AUS after playing on fast pitches, and after that...
[/QUOTE]

after that they would ask Shoaib to bowl like Brett Lee...

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The venues look good so far, they have some diversity in the locations.

I thought they used to play in Hyderabad and Bahawalpur in the past. Are those no longer venues for matches?
Also someone told me they were making a stadium in Quetta with a really fast pitch? Any truth to this??

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India agrees to start Pakistan tour with Tests](Yahoo is part of the Yahoo family of brands.)

KARACHI (AFP) - India has agreed to Pakistan’s proposal to start their upcoming cricket tour with Tests before playing one-day games to attract crowds to the five-day version of the game.

India will play a three-day warm-up game, three Tests and five one-day internationals on its first full tour of Pakistan in March-April, their first since 1989-90.

India lifted a three-year ban on a bilateral series with Pakistan in October last year. The ban was imposed after an attack on the Indian parliament in December which New Delhi blamed on Pakistan-based militants.

Indian premier Atal Behari Vajpayee’s visit to Islamabad to attend the regional SAARC summit (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) gave a further fillip to the tour. An itinerary had not been announced because India wanted the one-dayers to be played first.

But Jaghmohan Dalmiya, President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), told his Pakistani counterparts by letter Tuesday that the team would visit in the first week of March and stretch the tour until mid-April, according to a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) statement.

The PCB, which expects over 20 million dollars in revenues from the series, believed if the short version of the game were played first lesser crowds would come for the five-day Tests.

PCB chief executive Ramiz Raja hailed BCCI’s decision. “The PCB stance on scheduling Tests matches before the one-day internationals was based on cricketing grounds and weather conditions,” said Raja.

The Indian team is expected to arrive in Pakistan on March 3.

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Re: Venues, lodging problems bother PCB ahead of India tour

:dhimpak:… best news to me… finally no more Fox Sports :k: and its stupid coverage…

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[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by ehsan: *

How about playing 3 ODI's then test series and round it off with a further two ODI's. :)
[/QUOTE]

This could only happen in Australia

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[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by ehsan: *
This is really hitting the bottom, arguing about what should be played first ODI or Tests. Both sets of arguments make sense. Let them draw straws and make the decision. Will be quicker than all the arguments going forwards and backwards.

Really would be a tragedy if the series is aborted or postponed because of trivalities like these.

How about playing 3 ODI's then test series and round it off with a further two ODI's. :)
[/QUOTE]

no sir, we dont need to compromise on our schedule. now that they r coming to our country, they're showing bharam and making it like they're doing a huge favor on us. y did they have no such reservations for the australian tour. its just bull...

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finally…