Pakistan fears take Tests into the neutral zone

A list of neutral venues is being prepared to save the future of international cricket. It is likely to be used increasingly over the next year in an attempt to preserve millions of dollars of television revenue.

The scale of the threat to the Test and one-day calendar became clear on Friday when Australia withdrew from their autumn tour of Pakistan. It is the third such cancellation in a few months, and with the country's political uncertainty continuing it is bound to be followed by others. The constant unrest in Zimbabwe merely heightens concern for the game globally. The International Cricket Council recognise that they must try to salvage what they can without direct intervention between individual boards. Their only consolation is that a retaliatory boycott by the Asian bloc – Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh – is unlikely.

Jagmohan Dalmiya, the president of the Indian board, appears to be distinctly reluctant to support a boycott of those countries who refuse to tour Pakistan. As India do not at present play Pakistan – except on neutral turf – because of political differences between their governments, Dalmiya is aware that any blanket boycott would be self-defeating. India are due to tour Pakistan next April and should be followed by Bangladesh and South Africa in the autumn. The ICC know that at least two of these tours may not take place and are making contingency plans now.

Dalmiya's pragmatic stance forced Lt-Gen Tauqir Zia, the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, to adopt a more conciliatory approach yesterday. Twenty-four hours earlier Zia had been positively bullish in calling for a boycott. This has some superficial merit because of the sheer numbers of supporters on the subcontinent. Zia said yesterday: "I am totally disappointed. I thought they would visit here. I will not say anything about the future until I meet with my board. I don't blame the Australian Cricket Board because they have been very helpful to us and they took advice from their experts. But you could go anywhere in the world and have problems. We are fighting terrorists as well. When you stop playing series you run the risk that people stop playing the game."

Decoded, that probably means that Zia accepts that an Asian boycott will not necessarily be to anybody's advantage but is understandably pleading with other countries to resume visits. Australia's stance has not won universal approval and their vice-captain, Adam Gilchrist, said yesterday that the disappointment of not going was leavened with a relief that he and his team-mates would not be put in a potentially dangerous situation.

The ICC, guided by their chief executive, Malcolm Speed, have to tread a delicate line. They are keen to stress that the specific arrangement of tours is up to individual countries but need to ensure that games are played for the overall health of the sport. The series between Pakistan and Australia and others to follow will take place on neutral territory. Bangladesh might be one choice, although seasonal rains may put paid to that idea. Sharjah and Morocco are other possible venues.

At stake, too, is the World Test Championship, supposed to involve home-and-away series between all countries in two five-year blocks. But TV money is the key. The venue chosen for any series must be in a time zone which makes it convenient for spectators in one or both of the competing countries to watch. Live crowds are almost ancillary.

It may even be thought better to play the matches at a time which makes them day-night games in one of the competing countries. The number of viewers would probably rise. The ICC should announce an alternative venue this week. But sometime, and soon, somebody will have to play cricket in Pakistan again.