Big boys to play at night

It’s been over three years since Pakistan has made the UAE their “home” for any bilateral cricket series, but none of them was privy to the kind of “yes-no” over the composition of the series as well dates as the upcoming one against Australia. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) finally came up with a formal announcement Thursday, but it will be a surprise if the prospect of Pakistan clashing with the world No 1 one-day team in the searing heat of August-September (albeit at night) can have even their ardent fans rubbing their hands in anticipation. Yes, the moot question was certainly that of honouring the Future Tours Programme (FTP) as well as bowing to the market forces, and one hopes that such a frantic effort does not lead to killing of the proverbial golden goose. The International Cricket Council (ICC) had earlier, in a bid to save the series, cleared the proposal of a six-match Twenty20 series which could have been the longest in this format of the game. While such a high-profile series could serve as a teaser for the ICC’s Twenty20 World Cup in September-October, the prospect of players being in the field for a period of three hours rather than eight for a gruelling 50-over game may have sounded more acceptable to the game’s governing body. However, a combination of three One Day Internationals (ODIs) and as many Twenty20s has now found favour with the broadcasters, even if that means the ODIs finishing nearly at 2am after a proposed 6pm start. Yes, a venue like Sharjah, where the first and third one-dayers are scheduled, is expected to be full house even at such an unearthly hour, but one wonders if the players’ views had been taken into cognizance before agreeing to such playing conditions. The Australian Cricketers’ Association (ACA) had raised some concerns about the players’ wellbeing, but it was not enough to put a veto since both the boards had agreed in principle. It will hence be a test of more than the cricketing prowess for the players — and one hopes they can see through this ordeal without picking any injury or fatigue before the Twenty20 showpiece in Sri Lanka. Remember Kerry Packer’s famous line to promote the rebel World Series Cricket in the late seventies: “Big boys play at night?” Surely, Misbah-ul-Haq and Michael Clarke’s boys will be doing just that in the three one-dayers at stake! From gulfnews