Vance gives ultimatum to Indians

Press, 17 June 1988, Page 48

Vance gives ultimatum to Indians

PA Auckland The New Zealand Cricket Council chairman. Bob Vance, has almost run out of patience with Indian authorities over the New Zealand team’s tour itinerary.

He said yesterday he was still “discussing” tour plans with the Indian Cricket Board but had now reached the stage where an ultimatum had to be issued. “I’ve told them that I want to know what’s going on before the International Cricket Conference in England early in July,” Mr Vance said. “We can’t wait until then to find out. We really have to know very soon because it’s getting far too late in the piece to still be settling the itinerary,” he said. Mr Vance would not elaborate on the problems. However, the fact the Indian board is keen to try and arrange a threeway one-day tournament between England — who are also due in India — New Zealand and India, could be the stumbling block. The start of the tour has already been pushed back to November 1, which is later than originally planned. The players in particular are conscious of the possibility of having little time at home in the lead up to Christmas before starting the annual Shell Cup competition. It might be that the N.Z.C.C. is striking trouble with the Indians over the dates for the end of the tour. “We’re still negotiating but I don’t want the Indians to say they’ll talk to us about it at the I.C.C. meeting because then we wouldn’t get a decision until about July 10,” said

Mr Vance. “We need an answer before then.” The other factor in the debate surrounds negotiations with the Test and Country Cricket Board over its itinerary preferences and Mr Vance believes the Indian board still has not made arrangements with the English. Mr Vance maintains the venues for New Zealand’s tour matches are reasonable although he would not disclose any of them. Nor would he reveal the planned test match venues although it is likely England would have the first option on some preferred centres. Meanwhile, the Robert Vance-led New Zealand Young Internationals cricket team should be sick of the sight of Harare by the end of its’ monthlong tour to Zimbabwe later this year. New Zealand Cricket Council’s executive director, Graham Dowling, yesterday announced an itinerary which has the Kiwi side playing eight of 11 tour matches in the Zimbabwean capital, Harare. It is small consolation that the New Zealand side will meet the senior Zimbabwean team on no fewer than eight occasions. The two sides will play two four-day matches, one three-dayer and five oneday internationals. Seven of the matches are scheduled for the same venue, the Harare Sports Club. The only diversion from the recipe of playing Zim-

babwe or appearing at the Harare Sports Club comes in the opening tour match against Zimbabwe B — a three-day game — and in a one-dayer against Young Zimbabwe in Mutare, the final game. Apart from Harare and Mutare, the only other centre used will be Bulawayo where the Young Internationals will play back-to-back limited overs matches against, wait for it, Zimbabwe. The 14-strong New Zealand team leaves on September 21 and returns to New Zealand on October 29, although five of the players will travel directly to India to join the senior New Zealand team. Vance, his vice-captain Mark Greatbatch, Ken Rutherford and Trevor Franklin have been selected for both the Zimbabwe and India tours while one of the Young Internationals’ fast bowlers will be added. Danny Morrison, Willie Watson, Jonathan Millmow and Shane Thomson are competing for the remaining spot. The full Zimbabwe itinerary is: September 27-29, v Zimbabwe B, Harare South; October 1, v Zimbabwe B, Harare; October 2, v Zimbabwe, Harare; October 4-8, v Zimbabwe, Harare (rest day October 6); October 9, v Zimbabwe, Harare; October 1113, v Zimbabwe, Harare; October 15, v Zimbabwe, Bulawayo; October 16, v Zimbabwe, Bulawayo; October 1822, v Zimbabwe, Harare (rest day October 20); October 23, v Zimbabwe, Harare; October 25, Young Zimbabwe, Mutare.