Confusion grows over India-SA series

The confusion surrounding South Africa's tour of India in November deepened with the news that the Indian board (BCCI) had submitted a revised itinerary less than 24 hours after the initial schedule had been rejected by the South Africans.

The South African board (UCBSA) dismissed the original proposal, for seven one-day internationals and no Tests, yesterday on the grounds that it wanted Tests as well as one-dayers. But last night Gerald Majola, the UCBSA's chief executive, revealed that he had been sent a new itinerary which included two Tests in place of the one-dayers.

Majola was clearly as confused as everyone else. "I don't know what's going on," he shrugged. "They keep on moving the goalposts. It now looks as if they want to host Pakistan as well for some sort of jubilee match, and they are trying to fit us all in to a very short period of time." He added that it would be impossible for South Africa to agree to the new schedule.

"They now want to extend our tour to December 7, whereas it would have ended on November 30 with the limited-overs itinerary. But we can't possibly agree to extend the tour that far because England arrive here on December 5, and the first Test against them is on December 17. That means, with their journey home from India, the players would not even have two weeks to recover before going straight into another Test series."

South Africa would certainly reject any suggestion that the England tour be rearranged. Majola explained that tickets had been printed, and with thousands of tourists traveling from England to watch the games, any revision of dates would present a logistical nightmare. He added that ICC regulations stipulate that there should be a two-week gap between Test series, adding that tour schedules should be finalised a year in advance.

The confusion is not only at South Africa's end. Majola revealed that he had been told by the BCCI that the earlier schedule sent to him had not been approved by them before it was forwarded. He described the situation as "crazy". Majola concluded by expressing his disappointment with the role of the ICC in the matter. It had, he claimed, washed its hands of the whole matter and said that it was down to the two countries to resolve. But Brendan McClements, the ICC's general manager, said that: "It's not unusual for these discussions over schedules to occur."