Proteas playing in IPL to fly directly to Caribbean
Thursday, April 22, 2010
12:23 PM
Labels: 2010 , 2010 South Africa , 2010 World Cup , Dale Steyn , Jacques Kallis , Mark Boucher , South Africa , 0 comments
Five members of the Proteas squad for the ICC World Twenty20 tournament in the West Indies, are still doing duty in the Indian Premier League, and will fly directly to the West Indies from India.
Although the Mumbai Indians beat the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the first semifinal in Mumbai in midweek, all-rounder Jacques Kallis and fast bowler Dale Steyn are both needed to help the Challengers win their third placed play-off match and secure a berth in the Champions League later this year.
However, spin bowler Roelof van der Merwe and wicketkeeper Mark Boucher, were considered surplus to the Challengers' requirements, and returned home early.
"The teams can only play four foreign players, and so Boucher and Van der Merwe were released before the start of the knock-out stages of the competition," said Proteas spokesman Michael Owen-Smith.
Herschelle Gibbs (Deccan Chargers), JP Duminy (Mumbai Indians) and Albie Morkel (Chennai Super Kings) will all be in India until the end of the tournament.
Ryan McLaren will probably play for the Mumbai Indians in the final in Mumbai on Sunday, but he is not part of the South African T20 squad.
The remainder of the Proteas squad leave from OR Tambo International on Saturday evening. They have been able to revert to their itinerary of flying to the Caribbean via London.
Following the relaxation of air travel restrictions in the United Kingdom and other parts of Europe, the competing teams in the World Twenty20 cricket tournament in the Caribbean will revert to their original travel schedules for the competition.
The ICC had put in place a contingency plan to airlift teams direct from Dubai to the Caribbean if the travel disruption in Europe did not ease.
However, upon the reopening of air routes on Tuesday, International Cricket Council (ICC) chief executive Haroon Lorgat said he was "delighted" that the teams would fly to the West Indies as originally scheduled.
"I want to thank both (ICC commercial partner) Emirates and the ICC executive for working so hard to ensure that we had a back-up plan to transport teams to the Caribbean," Lorgat said.
The Afghanistan team, who were scheduled to travel to Trinidad via London last week, will still fly via London to the Caribbean in the next few days.
Cricket South Africa (CSA) and the Proteas this week also launched their 100% Behind Bafana Bafana campaign to coincide with 50 days to the World Cup.
The campaign, which aims to show South Africans that all national teams deserve their 100% support, has been endorsed by the South African Football Association (Safa).
Safa CEO, Leslie Sedibe, said: "SAFA and Bafana Bafana appreciate the support of CSA and the Proteas. We look forward to their 100% support during the World Cup."
The CSA family has been supportive of the Football Friday initiative, with head office staff regularly wearing their Bafana Bafana shirts, while counting down the days to kickoff with enthusiasm.
Proteas captain, Graeme Smith said: "I would just like to wish Bafana Bafana, and Aaron (Mokoena) in particular, a wonderful 2010 World Cup. We know they will make South Africa proud and they must just know that we are behind them 100% all the way."
Proteas speedster, Dale Steyn, said: "To Bafana Bafana, from the entire Proteas side, we wish you the best of luck for the World Cup. We won't be there but we will be supporting you all the way from the Caribbean."
Although the Mumbai Indians beat the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the first semifinal in Mumbai in midweek, all-rounder Jacques Kallis and fast bowler Dale Steyn are both needed to help the Challengers win their third placed play-off match and secure a berth in the Champions League later this year.
However, spin bowler Roelof van der Merwe and wicketkeeper Mark Boucher, were considered surplus to the Challengers' requirements, and returned home early.
"The teams can only play four foreign players, and so Boucher and Van der Merwe were released before the start of the knock-out stages of the competition," said Proteas spokesman Michael Owen-Smith.
Herschelle Gibbs (Deccan Chargers), JP Duminy (Mumbai Indians) and Albie Morkel (Chennai Super Kings) will all be in India until the end of the tournament.
Ryan McLaren will probably play for the Mumbai Indians in the final in Mumbai on Sunday, but he is not part of the South African T20 squad.
The remainder of the Proteas squad leave from OR Tambo International on Saturday evening. They have been able to revert to their itinerary of flying to the Caribbean via London.
Following the relaxation of air travel restrictions in the United Kingdom and other parts of Europe, the competing teams in the World Twenty20 cricket tournament in the Caribbean will revert to their original travel schedules for the competition.
The ICC had put in place a contingency plan to airlift teams direct from Dubai to the Caribbean if the travel disruption in Europe did not ease.
However, upon the reopening of air routes on Tuesday, International Cricket Council (ICC) chief executive Haroon Lorgat said he was "delighted" that the teams would fly to the West Indies as originally scheduled.
"I want to thank both (ICC commercial partner) Emirates and the ICC executive for working so hard to ensure that we had a back-up plan to transport teams to the Caribbean," Lorgat said.
The Afghanistan team, who were scheduled to travel to Trinidad via London last week, will still fly via London to the Caribbean in the next few days.
Cricket South Africa (CSA) and the Proteas this week also launched their 100% Behind Bafana Bafana campaign to coincide with 50 days to the World Cup.
The campaign, which aims to show South Africans that all national teams deserve their 100% support, has been endorsed by the South African Football Association (Safa).
Safa CEO, Leslie Sedibe, said: "SAFA and Bafana Bafana appreciate the support of CSA and the Proteas. We look forward to their 100% support during the World Cup."
The CSA family has been supportive of the Football Friday initiative, with head office staff regularly wearing their Bafana Bafana shirts, while counting down the days to kickoff with enthusiasm.
Proteas captain, Graeme Smith said: "I would just like to wish Bafana Bafana, and Aaron (Mokoena) in particular, a wonderful 2010 World Cup. We know they will make South Africa proud and they must just know that we are behind them 100% all the way."
Proteas speedster, Dale Steyn, said: "To Bafana Bafana, from the entire Proteas side, we wish you the best of luck for the World Cup. We won't be there but we will be supporting you all the way from the Caribbean."
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