Against The Spirit Of Sportsmanship: Cricket South Africa Reacts Over CA’s Decision
Image Credit: Twitter

Cricket South Africa has written to ICC on Cricket Australia’s decision to postpone the tour of South Africa terming it as “against-the-spirit-of-sportsmanship”. Cricket Australia had initially agreed to tour South Africa for three tests, but recently postponed the tour owing to the ‘unacceptable’ coronavirus risks. The withdrawal of Australia from the tour has led to New Zealand becoming the first team to qualify for the World Test championships.

South Africa who lost the two-match Test series 0-2 on the Pakistan tour will be eager to improve a lot of aspects before their next assignment gears up. Despite the century from Markram, South Africa lost the second Test to Pakistan on the fifth day after failing to chase down a mammoth score of 370 in the fourth innings. Quinton De Kock has been out of form and Boucher revealed that De Kock will be reprived out of his captaincy burden.

Cricket South Africa
Cricket South Africa[Photo-Getty]

“Unacceptable Level Of Health And Safety Risk” – Nick Hockley

CA’s Interim CEO, Nick Hockley said the reason behind Australia postponing the tour to South Africa is an unacceptable level of health and safety risk at this current time. He told that they have tried everything to make the tour go ahead but had to listen to the medical advice. He expresses his disappointment over the decision and termed it as heartbreaking.

“We have done everything we possibly can to make this tour happen and it’s a very difficult and challenging situation in South Africa just now and that’s what makes it even more heartbreaking that we’re not able to go.

“We all knew the rules going in and I think that’s what’s made this decision really, really hard. We’ve done everything we possibly can to make the tour go ahead but in the end, we had to listen to the overwhelming medical advice, so we won’t be pursuing that with the ICC, but it’s just another reason why not being able to tour is so disappointing,” Nick Hockley said.

Nick Hockley (Courtesy: Twitter)
Nick Hockley (Courtesy: Twitter)

Graeme Smith Disappointed Over CA’s Decision

Director of Cricket South Africa, Graeme Smith had done a lot of hard work to meet the CA’s expectations and he was frustrated to hear the decision from CA. He told about the series being the longest tour and had a lot of preparations made for Australia’s arrival in February.

“We are extremely disappointed by the decision of CA. CSA has been working tirelessly in recent weeks to ensure that we meet every single expectation of CA.

“This was set to be the longest tour in a BSE comprising a three-match Test series that was scheduled to begin with Australia’s arrival later in the month. So to be informed about the CA decision at the eleventh hour is frustrating,” Graeme Smith, Director of Cricket South Africa was quoted as saying.

Graeme Smith
Graeme Smith (Credits: Twitter)

Cricket South Africa has asked the ICC to consider the financial losses that they have to incur.

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