New Zealand Cricket cancels CLEAR White Ferns tour of India

New Zealand Cricket cancels CLEAR White Ferns tour of India
New Zealand Cricket - 1 November 2001

New Zealand Cricket Chief Executive, Martin Snedden, today cancelled the CLEAR White Ferns tour of India scheduled to start in a little over three weeks time.

The CLEAR White Ferns were due to play five One-Day Internationals, three one-day tour matches and a four-day Test during the four week tour of India.

Many of the matches were scheduled to take place in northern venues.

Snedden said it had been an extremely difficult decision to reach, far more difficult than previous decisions to cancel the CLEAR Black Caps tour of Pakistan and cut short the New Zealand 'A' team's Indian tour in the immediate wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States.

"I am aware how devastated some of the players and team management will be at this decision. The women's team has far more limited opportunities to travel than their male counterparts and the players have been preparing throughout the winter for the challenge of competing in India.

"This was not a decision which was taken lightly but at the end of the day I am satisfied this is the right decision at this time.

"In my view, the level of risk which exists here is unacceptable.

"Women's cricket in India is run by the Women's Cricket Association of India, which is entirely separate from and unsupported by the BCCI, which controls men's cricket played in India.

"The Indian Women's Cricket Association is an organisation which has a voluntary administration and few resources. It was clear to me that there would be little or no security arrangements in place for the team and no ability to remove the team quickly from a region or out of the country should there be civil unrest or an escalation of military or terrorist activity."

Snedden said he had not canvassed the CLEAR White Fern players for their view about touring.

"This is a team of amateur players. It did not seem right to me for New Zealand Cricket to place any degree of responsibility on the players to make this decision," Snedden said.

New Zealand Cricket has investigated replacing the cancelled tour with another international series but this has not been possible.

The CLEAR White Ferns next international commitment is a three match One-Day International series in Australia on the 20th, 21st and 23rd of February 2002. The Australians then travel to New Zealand to contest a second series of three One-Day Internationals on the 2nd, 3rd and 6th of March 2002.

The CLEAR White Ferns next tour is to England in July 2002.

Related Link	Women's Cricket
Teams	New Zealand.
Players/Umpires	Martin Snedden.
Tours	New Zealand Women in India