ZIMBABWE have agreed to tour Pakistan for a five-match one-day series next month, the first Test-playing nation to visit in six years, Pakistan's cricket chief said Thursday. "Zimbabwe's final reply is that yes we want to come to Pakistan and although there are some details to be finalised we hope that they will come to play five one-day matches - three in Lahore and two in Karachi - next month," said Shehryar Khan, chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board.
We might as well get used to the trend of being in sure position of strength and rolling over like puppies to have our bellies tickled. we are ther first test playing nation and not a single test lined up. I am angry about this type of incompetance from ZC. If players are going to risk they might as well get at least two test matches. And we had the power to negotiate for such terms. We should have only started negotiating withs test on the table. THEN only add a three day ODI series.
But with that said, there could be a good chance that ZC actually refused tests because they are afraid that Zim would lose the tests. ZC have never believed in the team anyway.
Finally, this may actually be Amirs come back series.
bayhaus wrote: I am angry about this type of incompetance from ZC. If players are going to risk they might as well get at least two test matches. And we had the power to negotiate for such terms. We should have only started negotiating withs test on the table. THEN only add a three day ODI series
grant wrote:I think the reason behind this could be the fact that more ODIs would mean we'll have a better chance of making it to the top 8 (ODI rankings)......
this could very much be the thinking. The board are clearly aiming for top 8 to be in the 2019 world cup. Not the best strategy to have and could be detrimental, but i think this is the thinking here.
I also tend to think that 5 odis could be played in the space of 10 days, so they are thinking that the quicker they get in, play, then they can get out.
grant wrote:I think the reason behind this could be the fact that more ODIs would mean we'll have a better chance of making it to the top 8 (ODI rankings)......
this could very much be the thinking. The board are clearly aiming for top 8 to be in the 2019 world cup. Not the best strategy to have and could be detrimental, but i think this is the thinking here.
I also tend to think that 5 odis could be played in the space of 10 days, so they are thinking that the quicker they get in, play, then they can get out.
This is why I think ZC should have argued for full series' in UAE and Zimbabwe in exchange for a few ODIs in Pakistan. You don't want to be there any longer than you have to, but the fact that ZC are sending a team at all should have given them a lot of leverage. Pretty lousy negotiating skills on ZC's part if they haven't recognised this.
PCB wouldn't ever accept a UAE series because the whole point of having a team tour Pak is once Zim plays 5 ODIs without incident, Australia and England will cancel all their Ashes series for the next 10 years and sign binding agreements for 20 4-test tours to Pakistan, each.
SpitfiresKent wrote:Am I the only one that thinks half the team won't want to tour Pakistan?
I don't see what leverage the players have.
Also, in terms of no tests, I can definitely see the ZC board focussing a lot on ODIs due to the 8 full member guarantee for the world cup. It's obvious to know that the board would place ODIs of higher importance than tests because of the financial gain from competing in a world cup. Even if we do not make the top 8, they would want us to be of a standard that when we play in the qualifying tournament, we would be too strong for the opposition.
Let's do a ZCF survey. Would you tour Pakistan as an international sportsman? I would not.
I would go as an individual, but not a public figure.
Neil Johnson, Alistair Campbell, Murray Goodwin, Andy Flower (w), Grant Flower, Dave Houghton, Guy Whittall, Heath Streak (c), Andy Blignaut, Ray Price, Eddo Brandes
