March 04, 2008	Tuesday	Safar 25, 1429

LAHORE, March 3: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has refused to comment on the Australian Cricketers Association (ACA) decision of not sending a representative with the Cricket Australia security delegation to Pakistan next week to give security clearance to their national team’s tour.

The ACA had earlier nominated its chief executive Paul Marsh in the security delegation but on Monday, association President Darren Lehmann withdrew his name.

“I have also heard about Lehmann’s decision, but we will not make any comment on it since it concerns Cricket Australia and not us,” the PCB chief Dr Nasim Ashraf told Dawn on Monday.

“We will wait for the CA’s decision about sending the delegation which is expected here by Thursday.”

“Since the PCB has been dealing directly with the CA on the matter, therefore, a final verdict from them matters the most. And hopefully they will take a positive decision for the sake of cricket,” said Dr Ashraf.

He disclosed that the Australian foreign affairs department will be holding a meeting on the issue on Wednesday and after that the situation will be cleared.

“We have successfully hosted South Africa and Zimbabwe in the recent past and we are quite capable of making excellent arrangements for the Australians too,” he added.

In order to save the dwindling tour, the PCB has already accepted Cricket Australia’s two demands, that of shortening the tour from 50 to 30 days and leaving out Karachi as one of the venues.