Date:16/03/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/03/16/stories/2008031656651800.htm

Sport - Cricket

PCB not to send its pacers to play in county cricket

Karachi: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is unlikely to give clearance to its pace bowlers to play in the English county championship even as it may give a green signal to leg-spinner Danish Kaneria to play for Essex.

After the Board meeting of the ICC’s International Cricket Committee, it has been decided in principle that fast bowlers would be discouraged from signing contracts with English counties. The recommendations of the committee would be put up before the governing body of the Board on March 22 for a final decision.

Kaneria’s case

Kaneria would get clearance because he is not an automatic selection in the one-day team and Pakistan does not play a Test series until late this year, sources said.

Pacers Mohammad Asif, Umar Gul, Rao Iftikhar, Rana Naved, Yasir Arafat and Sohail Tanvir have been offered county contracts. “The idea is to protect them from a heavy workload to avoid fitness problems,” one source said.

The committee has also recommended that the Board should play a more pro-active role in overseeing the terms and conditions of contracts, signed by players with counties.

Sources said that the committee, however, had also recommended giving permission to the players, who have signed up for the Indian Cricket League (ICL), to play for counties. — PTI