October 19, 2007	Friday	Shawwal 6, 1428

LAHORE, Oct 18: The Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) policy of ‘good governance and corporate culture’ proved more beneficial for bureaucracy instead of former Test cricketers, during the first One-day International between Pakistan and South Africa at the Gaddafi Stadium on Thursday.

The top bureaucracy of Punjab and relatives of the PCB officials had occupied almost all the rooms of the offices located in front of the ground. A good number of secretaries of the provincial government were invited, which indicated as if it was a holiday in the Punjab government offices.

Top bureaucrats not only from Punjab but also from Islamabad were specially invited to witness the one-dayer.

A few former Test cricketers were accommodated downstairs only after some of them had refused to accept two tickets each of Fazal Mahmood/Imran Khan Enclosures. Two days before the match the offices of the top PCB officials, on the first floor of the main building, were vacated to accommodate special guests of the Punjab government and their names printed on a paper were also pasted on the doors of the said offices to avoid any inconvenience to the invitees.

While the Punjab government officials were entertained throughout the day, a few Test cricketers were left on their own. Many Test cricketers, it was learnt, preferred to stay at home after receiving two tickets of different enclosures.