Cricket Australia still waits for a 'courtesy' call from BCCI

The friction between the two most powerful cricket bodies -- the BCCI and Cricket Australia(CA) just doesn't seem to smoothen with the Indian cricket Board, allegedly not even having the 'courtesy' to inform CA about its plan to replace Australia with South Africa.

''Heavyweight India has enhanced its status as the game's most powerful country by treating Cricket Australia with contempt over its future tours program,'' the 'Herlad Sun' reported.

It continued saying,''The Board of Cricket for Control in India yesterday did not even have the courtesy to announce to CA that it had scrapped Australia from its plans for a lucrative three-match one-day series in Ireland in June, and replaced the world champion with South Africa.'' According to the daily, CA was still waiting to be told last night by the BBCI that Australia had been jilted in favour of South Africa.

BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah said a final decision had been made to terminate talks with CA, which had been waiting for weeks to find out more details about the tournament.

''We were only negotiating with Cricket Australia initially for the off-shore series,'' the daily quoted Shah as saying.

''We have now decided to have the series against South Africa at the end of June in Ireland.,'' he added.

Shah also dismissed suggestions there was friction between CA and the BCCI. ''We were only having talks with Cricket Australia and nothing was finalised,'' he said.

This latest snub comes after India forced Australia to change its summer schedule.

The Indians have verbally agreed to tour for four Tests next summer, but at India's insistence the series will not begin until the traditional Melbourne Boxing Day clash.

CA was reportedly desperate to ensure its two biggest money spinners -- the Melbourne match and Sydney's New Year's Test -- were preserved, and the BCCI has agreed to this.

However, India had reportedly agreed to this only after it had ensured its preceding home series against arch-rivals Pakistan.

India's visit this summer will follow Australia's two-Test series against Sri Lanka in Brisbane and Hobart in November, while a three-match Chappell/Hadlee one-day series against New Zealand will be slotted around the time India arrives in mid-December.

The traditional tri-series, which faces an uncertain future, will follow the Test series in February and March and feature India and Sri Lanka.

UNI XC SAM RK1252

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