September 25, 2003	Thursday	Rajab 27, 1424

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PESHAWAR, Sept 24: The NWFP Cricket Association (NWFPCA) has expressed deep concern over the cancellation of the Test match between South Africa and Pakistan in Peshawar, saying the decision would deprive local fans from watching quality cricket.

“ Basically, it is very sad on the part of South Africa to cancel their Test in Peshawar. Given the best security measures in the city, we have been expecting that the Proteas would definitely play here, lamented Anwarzeb Khan, president of the NWFP Cricket Association while talking to Dawn on Wednesday.

According to him, the three member South African team that visited Peshawar on Sept 15 was extremely satisfied with the security arrangements being made for their match against hosts on Oct 16 at the Arbab Niaz Cricket Stadium.

“They were completely convinced that their team should play in Peshawar, which was evident from the report they submitted to the United Cricket Board of South Africa (UCBSA), but actually, the South African players had made up their mind long before about not playing in Peshawar”, said Anwarzeb.

He said that Peshawar was an absolutely safe place for sport activities which was reflected during the recently held match between Pakistan and Bangladesh that was watched by record number of spectators with no untoward incident taking place.

Mike Proctor, match referee in the recently-concluded Test and one day series between Pakistan and Bangladesh, who belongs to South African, had on several occasions termed the security arrangements in Peshawar as the best.

The UCB, had finally given go-ahead signal of touring Pakistan last week, but then it decided to call it off because of a bomb blast in Karachi where no body died or hurt.

“The cancellation of match in Peshawar on account of a minor blast in Karachi is extremely shocking. Peshawar is away from Karachi about 1,500 kilometres”, said Aurangzeb. He said that about 70 people died in Mumbai’s blast recently, but still New Zealand was touring that country for the sake of cricket and its fans.

He said that the PCB should not have shown flexibility over the rigid stance of the South Africans.

“ The PCB should have allocated at least a single One-day International to Peshawar, because the people had been waiting here anxiously to see the great players in action”, he said and added the PCB had heaved a sigh of relief after the UCB accepted the revised itinerary offered by the hosts.

Anwarzeb said that there were a lot of blasts and other sabotage activities around the world but that did not affect the sport events, saying sports and politics should not be mixed up at any cost.

Secretary of the Peshawar District Cricket Association, Abdul Aziz, told Dawn that “ Naturally it was extremely shocking and worrisome for the promoters of the game to hear the news that the South Africans aren’t visiting Peshawar when the  security arrangements are cent per cent OK”.

He, however expressed satisfaction over the South Africa team to visit Pakistan.

 Aziz said that when the UCB’s security team visited Peshawar, it was briefed by the police high-ups about the arrangements to be made for their team. Not only briefing, but the police practically demonstrated to them about the modus operandi they would adopt to protect their team.

“We have given them very clear picture of the security arrangements. We have also given them assurance that the team members would be protected from the airport to hotel and ground by a large number of police contingent”, said a police official, who was part of the team that briefed the visiting security team.

According to the new schedule, the South African team will visit Pakistan from Oct 1-28 to play two tests and five One-day Internationals, against the original schedule, according to which they were supposed to play three One-day Internationals and as many Tests at Lahore, Peshawar and Karachi, between Sept 26 and Oct 27.