England Cricket Diary (5 Jul 1998)
THE plummeting Rand is proving a headache for married members of the South African team - but four of the party's bachelors are cashing in
05-Jul-1998
5 July 1998
England Cricket Diary
The Electronic Telegraph
- Tourists swop run rate for rate of exchange
THE plummeting Rand is proving a headache for married members of the
South African team - but four of the party's bachelors are cashing in.
Their girlfriends, installed in a west London flat, have been going
out to work and are bringing in more money than the players. Two are
temping as secretaries, one is a relief teacher and the other - a
legal secretary - is earning £20 an hour.
The enterprise will be something of a consolation to the unmarried
players, whose girlfriends have not been allowed to stay with them on
tour even though married players have been granted permission by
captain Hansie Cronje to have their spouses with them in the team
hotel. "It is not morally right for girlfriends to be with the team,"
said Cronje, a committed Christian.
When the tourists arrived here, 7.8 Rand bought £1. Inside two months
it has slumped to 10.6, so Sterling is a much-prized commodity.
The players themselves get £22.50 a day spending allowances - money
they are busily hoarding away for the time when it has to be exchanged
back into Rand. Thus the stream of enquiries "where's the best place
to bank our money in England?"
Similar steps to Lancashire's, which have surely contributed to the
poor Old Trafford crowds in this match, are likely to be in operation
at Headingley, scene of some of the worst excesses of crowd behaviour
over the past few years, most notably on the Western Terrace.
Yorkshire secretary David Ryder says that new ground rules will
prevent people entering Headingley for the fifth Test in "garb which
might cause a distraction or a nuisance to others".
The northern attitudes contrast with the Midlands and the south where
a more relaxed approach has already been seen at Edgbaston - where
there were a number of arrests - and Lord's. Trent Bridge, venue of
the fourth Test, and the Oval, which will host the Sri Lankans, will
follow the same relaxed suit.
Mark Arthur, the Nottinghamshire chief executive, said: "We don't want
to be Draconian. Dressing up can be part of the party."
Paul Sheldon, the Surrey chief executive, feels that there is no need
for any precautions at the Oval. "There is no need to be drastic with
alcohol bans and other things," he said. "As long as people are
dressed decently we are happy to be tolerant."
Source :: Electronic Telegraph (https://www.telegraph.co.uk)