Aust, cricketers ‘asking too much’

Press, 1 September 1983, Page 31

Aust, cricketers ‘asking too much’

NZPA-Reuter Johannesburg Australian cricketers want to join the rebel tour circus of South Africa, but their asking price is too high. The president of the South African Cricket Union, Mr Joe Pamensky, has said that he had been approached by Australians wanting to play in South Africa. “But they have priced themselves out of the market,” Mr Pamensky said. Speaking after representatives of 10 different sports addressed foreign journalists, Mr Pamensky ruled out any tour of South Africa by rebel Australians this summer. “The West Indies are touring and they will be here for three months,” he said. “We won’t be buying any Australians this season; it’s just not-on,” he said.

However, he did leave open the possibility that the S.A.C.U. may be hunting around next year. Referring to the hard line taken by the Hawke Government on sporting relations with South Africa, he said: “If the Australians did come I cannot believe your Government would not allow their own nationals back in the country.”

Mr Pamensky admitted that the chances of South Africa returning to the world sporting stage were bleak.

“I think the position is fairly clear — unless the South African regime is acceptable to world political opinion we will not oe playing on the international scene,” Mr Pamensky said.