Pakistan ordered to continue tour

Press, 18 November 1981, Page 56

Pakistan ordered to continue tour

NZPA Perth The Pakistan team manager, Mr Ijaz Butt, has received orders from Islamabad to continue with the Australian tour despite the Dennis ..Lillee incident. Mr Butt said in Perth yesterday morning: “I have spoken to Air Marshall Nur Khan, the controller of sport in Pakistan, and he has told me to go.on with the tour. “The Air Marshall instructed me to assess the situation and use my own judgment if any other incident occurs. It is now up to the Australian Cricket Board to see that we don’t have a repetition of yesterday,” he said. Mr Butt said it wasn’t up to him to determine a penalty for Lillee who was involved in a melee with Pak-

istan’s captain, Javed Miandad. The Pakistan manager said he had spoken to Miandad several times about the incident and did not believe the Pakistan captain had provoked Lillee. Mr Butt said: “Javed Miandad does talk on the field, but no more than anyone else. “These verbal exchanges do take place — they are part and parcel of the game, but it ends there.” Mr Butt denied he had suggested a life ban for Lillee over the incident: “I am leaving it to the Australian Board — they . should take any action that will prevent such a happening occurring again,” he said.