Australia And South Africa To Exchange Resources (9 Jul 1996)

9 July 1996

Australia and South Africa to exchange resources

Australia and South Africa, two of the top dogs of international cricket, are looking to exchanging resources in a bid to maintain that status.

Currently in London for the ICC`s annual meeting, UCBSA managing director Ali Bacher met with his Australian counterpart, Graham Halbish, and ACB chairman, Denis Rogers, this week.

And according to Bacher their discussions were "very fruitful".

Under consideration are:

* A possible exchange of official staff.

* The possible exchanging of leading umpires, other than those who have already attained Test status.

* A similar arrangement for coaches with leading Australian coaches attending South Africa`s coaching academy and viceversa.

* An international one-day competition involving state and provincial teams from Australia, New Zealand and Africa.

Bacher emphasised that as far as all these moves were concerned, at the moment, they were purely up for discussion. "Nothing final at all," he said.

What has been extended - and accepted - is an invitation to a South African academy side to tour Australia in the near future.

An Australian academy side, to be managed by Alan Crompton and Rod Marsh, will pay a two "test" visit to South Africa in August.

The idea of an inter-state limited overs clash is visualised as a natural extension to South Africa`s new Standard Bank League and Cup competition, which already makes provision for teams from Kenya and Zimbabwe.

At the moment the Kenyans and Zimbabwean champions Mashonaland are scheduled to link up with six South African provincial sides in the Cup competition.

"If it is logistically possible we are looking to trim our own contingent down to four to accommodate sides from Australia and New Zealand," said Bacher.

For financial ad other reasons he feels that such a tournament, if possible, would have to be centralised and played over a period of about ten days.

"It`s a matter of slotting into what is already a very crowded international programme," he added.