Show is on but SAfrica keeps pull-out option open

Colombo, Aug 15 (UNI) After frantic parleys with the government and the cricket board back home, South Africa have finally decided to stay back here for the moment, thus keeping the Unitech Cup tri-series alive with some changes in the tournament schedule.

The decision was arrived at after the ICC insisted on a second, independent security assessment to either coroborate or refute the conclusion in the report by South Africa's security consultants that the team's safety could no longer be guaranteed.

The Proteas, however, kept the pull out option open and another blast in the city might force them to leave the city, with little care for their cricket commitments.

Meanwhile, as a result of the rescheduling, the South Africa-Sri Lanka match, scheduled originally yesterday, would be played on August 29 and the final of the tournament would be played on September 2, Sri Lanka Cricket spokesman Samantha Algama told UNI.

''The tour is definitely on as South Africa have confirmed that they would stay back. We had to stretch the tournament because of the rain,'' he explained.

South Africa media manager Gordon Templeton, however, revealed that South Africa decided to stay back ''till an independent assessment of the increased security situation.'' South Africa earlier seemed all set to pull out of the tournament after yesterday's car-bomb blast, barely a kilometer away from the team hotel.

''As of now, we have decided to stay back till the independent assessment of the increased security. After the blast, our security has been upgraded to the highest level and so we have decided to stay back till the independent assessment,'' Mr Templeton told UNI.

Cricket South Africa chief executive Gerald Majola is expected here any time to discuss the issue with SLC and his players.

Meanwhile, South Africa media claimed Mr Majola and injured regular captain Graeme Smith were in favour of withdrawing the team at the earliest, even if that meant inviting hefty fine from ICC.

One of the players was also quoted as saying that the entire team wanted to return at the earliest for even if the terrorists spare the cricketers, they don't want to get caught in crossfire. The cricketer also mentioned that he and his teammates had gone for shopping in the same Liberty Plaza where the blast occurred, killing eight and injuring 17.

CSA's general manager for cricket affairs, Brian Basson, also shared the view and he told SuperCricket, ''I would like to have guarantees that our players will be safe, and if I don't get those guarantees I will have no hesitation in withdrawing the squad from Sri Lanka.'' This was the second best in the last 10 days which left the Proteas completely shaken and team management felt the players were just not in the right frame of mind to play cricket.

UNI AY DH RAI1935