SA players` association `eager` to see BCCI, CSA resolve India tour fixtures `soon`

Johannesburg: The South African cricketers` body has said that the country`s players are eager to see an `urgent engagement` between their board and their powerful Indian counterparts to resolve fixtures over this summer`s India series.

The South African national team is due to leave for the UAE soon for the series against Pakistan but their home tour against India has no confirmed itinerary after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) objected to Cricket South Africa`s (CSA) schedule of three Tests, seven ODIs and two Twenty20s. According to a report, South African Cricketer`s Association (SACA) chief executive Tony Irish said that the players are hoping that the series can be discussed as a matter of importance given that BCCI has formalized its leadership structure, adding that the tour has a massive financial implication on South African cricket. The report mentioned that if the tour is curtailed, South African cricket could lose up to 20 million dollars. Stating that the players are stakeholders in the game and will be affected by whatever happens, Irish further said that if the tour is cancelled, the players would also lose an opportunity to play in a high-profile Test series and substantial limited-overs competitions as the country`s Test team has not played a match since February. According to Irish, the Test team, which is ranked number one in the world, is the best team they had and is a settled unit for which they need to keep playing in order to retain their momentum. ANI