Hobart Test hopes sink

Taliban’s view on women’s cricket changes game

CRICKET Australia has confirmed it would have “no alternative” other than to cancel the Test against Afghanistan in Hobart if the women’s program in the country is scrapped.

Pressure built on CA and the International Cricket Council to act after the Taliban declared its ban on women’s sport.

The first-ever Test between the two nations is due to begin on November 27 in Hobart, but CA boss Nick Hockley on Wednesday conceded it was “an extremely challenging and complex situation” amid upheaval in Afghanistan.

On Thursday, CA confirmed that if the new regime did not support women’s cricket, it could not play the men’s team in the Test.

“Driving the growth of women’s cricket globally is incredibly important to Cricket Australia. Our vision for cricket is that it is a sport for all and we support the game unequivocally for women at every level,” a statement said.

“If recent media reports that women’s cricket will not be supported in Afghanistan are substantiated, Cricket Australia would have no alternative but to not host Afghanistan for the proposed Test match due to be played in Hobart.”

Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein said this week he had “very real concerns” about staging the Test match and would consult the local community after the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan.

Federal Sports Minister Richard Colbeck has outlined his opposition to the match, conceding that whether it goes ahead is up to the

International Cricket Council and Cricket Australia. And federal MP Andrew Hastie, a former SAS troop commander who fought in Afghanistan, has declared he doesn’t want the game to go ahead.

“We lost good soldiers in Afghanistan,” Mr Hastie told Sky News on Thursday.

Senator Colbeck said CA was well aware of the government’s position on the game.

“Ultimately, the sanctioning of a Test match is something that’s done by the ICC, and Cricket Australia are very prominent members of that organisation and they understand our views very clearly,” he said.

Senator Colbeck said Afghan athletes would “remain welcome in Australia but not under the flag of the Taliban”.

Mr Hockley has indicated his organisation would take its lead from the federal government and the ICC, which holds the power to revoke Afghanistan’s member status.

The ICC said it was monitoring the changing situation in Afghanistan.