KARACHI, Jan 9: Sindh Cricket Association (SCA) president Hasib Ahsan on Friday said Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had asked him to continue, although he offered to step down.

"I have told the new PCB chief that my colleagues and I are ready to tender our resignations if he thinks SCA is not required. But he asked us to carry on," he said.

SCA, along with other provincial associations, was formed by the former PCB chairman Lt-Gen Tauqir Zia last year on trial basis for a year, triggering a wave of resistance from Karachi City Cricket Association (KCCA).

SCA was constituted till July 2004, on the condition that the present set of officials would quit if it is decided to retain the provincial body. SCA's fate hangs in the balance since Mr Shaharyar M. Khan took over as the new PCB boss after Tauqir quit last December.

Hasib, a former chief selector, quoting Shaharyar said PCB had opted against disturbing the present scenario, saying that the board would review the matter after July whether it should abolish SCA.

The official said SCA had no clash with KCCA, but it wanted PCB to handle the financial matters during all the forthcoming international matches in Karachi.

Arch-rivals India are scheduled to visit Pakistan in March for their first Test tour in 14 years. "There are quite a few things on which PCB could change its stance. But the handling of money during international matches here is one thing on which, I think, it will not budge. "And that is exactly what we (SCA) want. We are willing to organize the matches on behalf of PCB but do not want to take money matters in our hands as was the practice in the past," he remarked.

He was of the opinion the host organization, be it KCCA or SCA, had no right to deal with monetary matters while hosting international matches since PCB was the supreme body of the game.

KCCA had strongly reacted to the formation of the SCA and held demonstrations against the PCB decision to constitute a body on provincial basis.

Hasib said apparently KCCA wanted to host the international activity with an intention to control the finances. "Money is the actual bone of contention. KCCA only wants to organize matches to have total control over money," he said. Bungling in ticket sales was widely reported by media when KCCA acted as host during matches in the past.