Cricket South Africa (CSA) is exploring ways to accommodate the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) request to convert their scheduled five-match ODI series into a two-Test and 3-ODI tour in February-March next year. The South African Board wants to address certain scheduling issues in its domestic tournaments before giving a go-ahead to their Indian counterparts. “The BCCI has requested us to play two Tests and three ODIs and we are still considering it. We would like to accommodate them and I don’t foresee a problem,” CSA chief executive Gerald Majola told reporters in Johannesburg on Thursday.
One of his major concerns is that a revised Indian itinerary will prevent South Africa’s top stars from playing in the final stages of the Standard Band Pro20 competition. This is the country’s premier domestic tournament the stakes of which have gone up since the creation of Champions League T20. The Pro20 tourney being the qualifying meet for the cash-rich tournament in India, the provincial boards, attached to the CSA, may not be willing to play without their top players.
The two Tests and three ODIs may stretch the stay of Graeme Smith & Co in India by a week and that means they will have to miss the semifinal and final of the tournament. The CSA is now contemplating to push its domestic T20 competition by a week and this could have a trickle-down effect on their premier four-day domestic competition — the SuperSport series.
Given their equation with the BCCI, the South African officials do not want to turn down the belated request. They, however, want to address the resultant issues first. The CSA also wants to consult their players’ body — the South African Cricketers’ Association — and the team management. “We have to consult the SACA, the team management, our playing regulations and fixtures committees, as well as the Board,” Majola said.
Meanwhile, it is learnt that the BCCI will take up the matter at its working committee meeting here on December 18. By that time, the Indian officials will have received a response from their South African counterparts.
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