LONDON: Cricket a seemingly gentle game which 1s a religion to some but incomprehensible to others, has been rescued from a bitter racial split for the present at least.
At the core of the problem is the apartheid state of South Africa. That racially divided republic has long been banished from International Matches. known as tests but there have been growing calls ‘over the past 20 years for any player having links with South Africa to be similarly punished.
England, which gave birth to the game Australia and New Zealand had steadfastly defended the right of any individual to play his trade wherever it might be.
But, India Pakistan, the West Indies and Sri Lanka, the other countries represented ‘on the International Cricket conference (ICC), the game’s controlling body, de mended bans from test matches varying from four tears to left for those playing of coaching in South Africa
The strength of feeling among now white countries was demonstrated late last year when India refused to accept an English team on which captain Graham coach and seven others had all played on south Africa it was reinforced shortly afterwards when Pakistan filled out of 2 tournament ‘with England in New Zealand because of players South African links.
Such rebuffs clearly came as a shock to the members of the old-school establishment of England cricket, who had felt secure in the belief that no one would actually reject them.
Article extracted from this publication >> February 3, 1989
