da betsul： The Chief Executive of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), Tim Lamb,today responded to media comment regarding the length of Pakistan’s currenttour to England
Media Release09-May-2001The Chief Executive of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), Tim Lamb,today responded to media comment regarding the length of Pakistan’s currenttour to England.He said: “It is completely wrong to suggest that the ECB’s decision to hosttwo npower Test Matches against Pakistan this summer reflects poorly on thetourists.”Our original plan for this summer was to play a six-Test Ashes seriesagainst Australia only. However, following our new broadcasting deal withChannel Four and Sky in 1998, we agreed to expand the international matchprogramme to seven Test Matches per summer and introduce a triangularone-day tournament, the NatWest Series.”This enabled us to extend an invitation to another international side andthe Pakistan Cricket Board readily accepted our offer to play two npowerTests this summer and take part in the NatWest Series.”It would not have made cricketing or commercial sense for us to play aseven-Test series against one country and we firmly believe that the currentinternational match programme is in tune with what cricket fans want.”It should also be stressed that Pakistan’s tour this year was originallyintended to be an additional tour over and above the visit Pakistan were dueto make here in 2004 under the previous touring programme. This has now beenovertaken by the new ICC Test Cricket World Championship whereby eachcountry has to play each other twice home and away during a five-year periodand, as a consequence, Pakistan will now not tour here in 2004.”I can reassure Pakistan supporters that the ECB has the utmost respect fortheir team’s ability. They are one of the most exciting sides to watch inworld cricket and we will be looking to play a minimum of three Test Matchesand possibly four when Pakistan are next due to tour here again in 2006.”