JOHANNESBURG: The National Olympic Sports Committee of South Africa (NOSCSA) which is ideologically aligned to the African National Congress has asked India not to consider any invitation by newly-recognized United Cricket Board of South Africa (UCBSA) for cricket tours between the two countries.

The organization expressed total unhappiness at a meeting in the coastal town of East London recently about reports quoting the managing director of UCBSA Dr Ali Bacher that they would resume international cricket participation as soon as possible and India would be the first country that South Africa would compete against.

The president of NOSCSA Mluleki George told PTI in an interview recently that his organization hoped that India would not many any hasty decisions about accepting an invitation from the UCBSA.

 There is a lot of unhappiness over the hasty developments in cricket over the past two weeks. Hardly has the ink dried on South Africa’s admittance to the ICC that Ali Bacher the white establishment media and white cacketers are taking about playing against India and in the World Cup in Australia next February he said.

If this happens without sorting out the mess here then we will use our muscle power to stop such tours. If need be we will travel to India to talk to our people there not to countenance any tours until we give the go-ahead he said.

We cannot allow cricket to be the first sport to play international sport especially after their record with rebel tours like the one last year involving Mike Gatting’s English rebels it will mean we have very short memories George said.

The NOSCSA president said India should not besmirch its image by making any hasty and rash decisions.

George also said that his organization had taken a strong view to certain international organizations pushing South Africa to participate in the athletics event in Tokyo and in the Barcelona Olympics next year. AFP adds: Ali Bacher of the UCB had said that India would be the first country to take a Test cricket tour of South Africa following the ICC admitting the UCB into its fold. Bacher still in London after successfully lobbying ICC members to end South Africa’s 21year cricketing isolation told a Johannesburg newspaper that two schoolboy teams representing the UCB’s development program in black townships had been invited to the West Indies next year another team would tour England.

All the tours were subject to agreement among anti-apartheid groups inside South Africa on this year by an ICC XI comprising players from each of the seven current Test nations remained a distinct possibility.

West Indian captain Richards has indicated he is mean to lead such a team on what would be his international swansong Bacher said.

South African elation at re-admission to the ICC was tempered by the shock decision that the Springboks would not be allowed to play in the World Cup one-day competition in Australia and New Zealand in February and March.

Bacher said change of heart was possible.

The decision to bar South Africa was made by ICC Chairman Colin Cowdrey when it became evident there was lack of agreement on the issue.

Cowdrey said he would have to reject any application from South Africa because planning for the eight-team competition was too far advanced. Bacher said: People were disappointed about our not going to the World Cup this winter and we may consider going back to the ICC and asking them to reconsider.

Such a move may depend on what feedback the South Africans get from the seven other full members the ICC over the next two weeks.

But ICC Secretary John Stephenson said: Colin made his decision known and as far as I’m aware there is no reason why that should change.

Meanwhile the English Players’ Union is to ask the ICC if their members can now coach in South Africa following the republic’s re-admission to the sport’s ruling body.

Cricketers’ Association Treasurer David Graveney wants urgent clarification on the issue as 15 players are currently serving four-five bans for coaching in the republic last winter.

Graveney one of the rebels told recently by the ICC that their international bans are to be enforced for at least one more year said: We need to know from the ICC about what our members can do now this winter

South Africa still badly needs English coaches to help further strengthen the game there But the ICC has not made it clear if cricketers can now go over there without being penalized.

Article extracted from this publication >> August 2, 1991