Cricket Australia offers to pay ‘out-of-pocket expenses’ after pulling out of South Africa tour

Cricket Australia (CA) has offered to pay Cricket South Africa (CSA) “out of pocket” expenses after pulling out from their recent tour. CA, earlier, cited concerns over the coronavirus wave in the African nation before pulling out. The tour was set to take place in the month of March.

Earl Eddings, the CA chairman, in a letter to Dr. Stavros Nicolaou, the CSA interim board chairman, stated that CA was disappointed after opting to postpone the three-match Test series. Eddings also said that CA “was conscious of the many unfortunate consequences of this decision”.

Earlier, CSA was a tad miffed after Australia pulled out of the tour. The South African board expressed its agony saying that it had tried its hearts out in catering to the needs of the Australian team.

We acknowledge that CSA considers it disappointing: Cricket Australia   

“Notwithstanding the additional measures that CSA sought to implement as discussions progressed, our medical experts determined that the residual risk of members of our touring party contracting COVID-19 remained at a level inconsistent with our duty of care when taking into account the prevalence of COVID-19, the more contagious strain of COVID-19 first discovered in South Africa, restrictions relating to travel from and into Australia and the considerable challenges of repatriation to Australia of anyone who contracts COVID-19 while in South Africa (and their close contacts within the squad), including the requirement for all returning persons to present a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours of departure,” Eddings mentioned.

“We acknowledge that CSA considers it disappointing that the tour was postponed relatively late in discussions. I assure you that our teams were under instruction to do whatever they could to make the tour happen, hence our continuing to work intensively and in good faith on plans and bio-security protocols until recent days when it eventually became clear that the residual risks were untenable,” Eddings added.

Earlier, it was learned that Cricket Australia was yet to receive a confirmation on how the players would be taken in the bio-secure bubble from the O.R. Tambo international airport to the team’s country-style ranch, Irene Country Lodge in Pretoria.

Also, CA had offered to host the series on Australian soil, with Perth being an option. However, CSA turned down their request. On Saturday, CA mentioned that it had wished for the tour to go ahead provided the COVID-19 protocols are met.