Callous and cruel

On Tuesday afternoon I drove south from Colombo. It was an apocalyptic seven-hour journey to Tangalle - a small fishing town on the southern tip of the island, which faced the full force of the giant tsunami wave - past flattened homes, smashed vehicles, overturned coconut palms and mourning people. Like many others, I was on a morbid mission, looking for the missing. Many others have also made use of the road reopening, and have piled their vehicles high with dry rations to take to loved ones and strangers. In New Zealand, meanwhile, Sri Lanka's cricketers were told that they must play cricket.

On Monday at an emergency executive committee meeting of Sri Lanka Cricket, it was decided that the New Zealand tour would be postponed by just five days. Cancellation had apparently been discussed but ruled out for fear of punitive financial penalties. A catastrophic natural disaster that has now left 20,000 dead in Sri Lanka alone is not, it appears, a valid reason for not playing cricket.

Sri Lanka's players are naturally shocked, distraught, and deeply upset by events during the last three days. They have sat in their hotel rooms and watched television pictures throughout the night with horror. They want to be with their families and the their friends. They want to help their country and join the massive humanitarian effort that is now underway.

The players met during the early hours of this morning and made it clear that they wanted to go home immediately. Sri Lanka Cricket considered their request, and after consultations with New Zealand Cricket, decided once more that a pullout was impossible. Instead they allowed those directly affected to return home, but the reality is that all the squad is affected. Everyone will know people who have died.

To ask Sri Lanka's cricketers to stay is callous and cruel. Sri Lanka Cricket must stop prevaricating and reach a swift agreement to cancel. The ICC, which Cricinfo learns has not even been properly consulted, will surely be supportive. This is not the time for cricket.