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[InternalTraining]

Uh oh - he is very unhappy! But he is also echoing a multi-board future...I am not surprised.

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/ramiz-raja-fears-west-versus-144838856.html

[InternalTraining]

Another nice article. I didn't know Atherton wrote about this. Good man!

"English cricket, the governing body and players, had a chance to do the right thing this week," former England Test captain Michael Atherton wrote in The Times.

"They had a chance to repay a debt, uphold their honour and side with a cricketing nation that has undergone the kind of challenges others cannot even begin to contemplate.

"Instead, citing a mealy-mouthed statement, they did the wrong thing."

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/pakistan-used-binned-england-over-132434746.html

[brokenbat]

Butch sums it up very well: https://youtu.be/vl_ppHozwFI

[brokenbat]

George Dobell with an excellent article as well: https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/george-dobell-ecb-hypocrisy-and-double-standards-in-pakistan-tour-cancellation-could-lose-them-friends-1278788

It is now clear that there was no security issue concerning the UK government / high commission, which explains why the ecb did not mention it in their statement. And this makes it absolutely appalling and a real travesty.

[More Glue Than Wood]

Butch sums it up very well: https://youtu.be/vl_ppHozwFI

yep - very sensible points and can't really argue with anything said

[Warneymonster]

it would explain why the ECB appeared to let the India team quit the tour so they could play IPL if they knew they were considering pulling out of the Pakistan tour. they were most likely going to send a 2nd team anyway.

What still confuses me if the NZ situation, there was a security issue which was deemed severe and credible enough for a team who were already there to pack up and leave with no notice. yet the british consulate in pakistan says there isnt one and throws the ECB under the bus, despite the ecb and NZ using the same security team/contacts.

Something doesnt add up, all the ECB had to do was echo the NZ statement and there would have been far less push back. instead they blame covid bubbles.

Its embarrassing that we have done this to the PCB but i doubt anyone will ever release the true reasons

[mo_town]

Slap in the face for ECB with the UK High Commission issuing that statement. Surely security wasnt the issue then. Player fatigue doesnt make any sense either for a 4 day trip.

[More Glue Than Wood]

sounds worse and worse - didn't realise it was only a 4 day tour too - should have been able to do that - but then i expect there is a lot we don't know - just as with the India issue and why the IPL isn't playing 4 games a day to get it over with quickly

[InternalTraining]

British High Commissioner to Pakistan, Christian Turner:

"I share the deep sadness of cricket fans that England will not tour Pakistan in October," Turner said. "This was a decision made by the ECB, which is independent of the British government based on concerns for player welfare. The British High Commission supported the tour, did not advise against in on security grounds, and our travel advice for Pakistan has not changed. I have been a champion of international cricket's return to Pakistan and will redouble my efforts in advance of England's autumn 2022 tour. My thanks to all at the PCB who have worked so hard in support of that."

https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/pakistan-vs-england-tour-cancellation-ecb-decision-not-of-government-says-british-high-commissioner-1278923

[InternalTraining]

So, this was England players who decided to ditch the 4-day tour to Pak so they could play in IPL. Team India players did the same thing to England re: Test-5 so they could play in IPL. This is just piss poor form!

I wonder what really happened with NZ govt. behind the scenes. What was their source of "intelligence" that was more intelligent than govt. of England?

[Jimbo]

So, this was England players who decided to ditch the 4-day tour to Pak so they could play in IPL. Team India players did the same thing to England re: Test-5 so they could play in IPL. This is just piss poor form!

I wonder what really happened with NZ govt. behind the scenes. What was their source of "intelligence" that was more intelligent than govt. of England?

Or perhaps it was a specific threat against the NZ team and not the England side. That's the problem with speculating completely blindly about high level security information, none of us have even the slightest clue.

If security wasn't a concern then it's very disappointing that England have decided this late in the day not to bother visiting Pakistan.

[InternalTraining]

Or perhaps it was a specific threat against the NZ team and not the England side.

Then, they should share that information and cooperate in an investigation. I can tell you by just reading newspapers that their situation is a bit far removed from "geo-politics". Just guessing.

On the other hand, if specificity was indeed a factor and it was a personal threat, then that is another story and they should share the information.

[Jimbo]

Why would they share high level security information with the general public? How do you know that doing so wouldn't prevent them from getting information on future threats? Not sure that blind speculation is the least bit helpful when you're talking about potential threats to people's lives as compared to a few games of cricket.

[InternalTraining]

Why would they share high level security information with the general public? How do you know that doing so wouldn't prevent them from getting information on future threats? Not sure that blind speculation is the least bit helpful when you're talking about potential threats to people's lives as compared to a few games of cricket.

I was referring to your position of "specific" which could mean something much more specific as in personal.

Regarding future and how "sharing information" could somehow derail the future, that excuse has been used a LOT to hide wrong doing. This is a separate discussion but I can cite dozen of news articles and studies that that show hiding information had led to more wrong doing than sharing it.

[mr_reagan]

Or perhaps it was a specific threat against the NZ team and not the England side. That's the problem with speculating completely blindly about high level security information, none of us have even the slightest clue.

If security wasn't a concern then it's very disappointing that England have decided this late in the day not to bother visiting Pakistan.

Speculation of course but i find it hard to believe that the NZ team were the targets of specific threats and ours weren't. If you're looking to make a statement i have to think the English team would be a bigger scalp, horrible as that is to say. Even the IPL line of thinking doesn't make sense. You can count on one hand the number of players in the IPL from our squad, the ECB could easily put together a 4 day touring party.