Hosts Pakistan may play in Melbourne

Pakistan may end up playing a Test, which they were to host, in Melbourne if the Aussie tour to that country is cancelled because of war in neighbouring Afghanistan.

The indication to host the match in Melbourne's Colonial stadium came after International Cricket Council president Malcolm Gray said tours involving Pakistan as host could be played on foreign soil.

Gray believes this may have to be done until the situation in Afghanistan improves. Two teams, New Zealand and Sri Lanka, have already cancelled their Pakistan tours. Australia could join them as they are scheduled to go to Pakistan in September next year.

Another team touring Pakistan in the near future is from the West Indies. They are scheduled for a trip in February and may opt out of the hotspot if tension persists.

The Australian Cricket Board is reported to be ready to host the series in Australia if required to do so.

"From the Pakistan Cricket Board point of view, that's their business, putting on cricket matches, and if they're in a position where people can't tour or can't play there, then they'll have to look at the alternatives," ACB chief Sutherland said recently.

"But it's a long way off and we wouldn't be jumping to any conclusions at this stage. We're very much looking forward to going to Pakistan in a year's time," he said.

The only problem which cricket mandarins here may face is that September is the peak month for Australian football, popularly called "footy season."

Almost all venues like the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Sydney Cricket ground (SCG) and Brisbane's Gabba are booked for national finals of either footy or rugby. This leaves the option of playing the Australia-Pakistan Test at Melbourne's undercover Colonial stadium.

The cancellation of the series involving Pakistan has also jeopardized the 10-year ICC schedule and the world Test championship, unveiled only eight months ago in Melbourne.

Pakistan's unsure future as Test series host would come up for discussions as the ICC meets in Malaysia next week.

Other Test playing countries on the sub-continent, India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are also likely to feel the heat because of tension generated by the Afghanistan crisis.

Political violence in Zimbabwe may also give ICC some serious scheduling problems.

"Obviously, the current situation is causing huge problems," Gray said. "Our hope is that it might be short and sharp and we can get over it quickly. But if the situation continues, it will cause enormous problems logistically and financially for the game," he said.

India may also face cancellation for the home series against England. England is scheduled for an Indian tour in November and they are to be followed by Zimbabwe in January.

Even if the ACB decides to go ahead with the Pakistan tour in September next year, it may face opposition from the Australian Cricketers' Association (ACA).

The ACA chief executive Tim May has already asked administrators to guarantee the safety of all players before tours to "politically sensitive areas" are given a nod.

"In terms of going into places that may be under some sort of safety cloud, we are guided by (the Australian Department of) Foreign Affairs and we will always listen to their advice before going to those places," May told reporters.

"If that means, as part of the ICC's 10-year programme, we have to reschedule a tour of Pakistan and play it somewhere it's a bit safer, then that's the way to go if that tour can't be rescheduled over the next 10 years," he said.

--Indo-Asian News Service

Mail Cricket Editor