Strike hampers cricketers

Press, 5 December 1988, Page 44

Strike hampers cricketers

PA Hyderabad A strike by Indian Airlines pilots is causing problems for the touring New Zealand cricket team. The New Zealanders had been scheduled to fly from Hyderabad after the third test to Vishakapatnam for the opening match in the one-day series with India, on Thursday. However the strike, largely related to an increase in salaries, is expected to run until at least Thursday and possibly Saturday. So the New Zealand team is hastily making arrangements to

travel overnight by train to Vishakapatnam, leaving a few hours after stumps on the final day of the test. The team was already travelling by train between Vishakapatnam and Bhubashenwar for the second one-dayer at Cuttack, a few kilometres away. The manager, Ken Deas, said an attempt to have the opening one-day match switched to Hyderabad was unsuccessful. “We suggested it on several occasions and we were told by the Indian Cricket Board that it was impossible. No reasons were

given,” Mr Deas said yesterday. One reason could be that each centre has bought the rights to a match on tour. To give up that right would cost the Indian board considerable money. In addition, although Hyderabad and Vishakapatnam are both in South Zone and the state of Andhra Pradesh, there is strong rivalry and an apparent unwillingness to come to a mutual agreement. The journey from Hyderabad to Vishakapatnam is around 600 km and the train will take up to 12 hours.