England news

England could host Pakistan Tests

Cricinfo staff

October 15, 2008

	Giles Clarke: "Pakistan might get a better crowd in Leeds than in Karachi" © Getty Images

Giles Clarke, the ECB chairman, has floated the idea that England could host Test matches for Asian countries who struggle to fill their grounds, or fail to attract opposition in the first place owing to security fears.

Pakistan are one such country. With the growing unease over its political stability, teams are increasingly unwilling to take the risk of touring there. Australia postponed their Test tour of the country earlier this year and the Champions Trophy suffered the same fate after several nations expressed security fears.

Clarke has admitted the ECB could take advantage of Britain's growing ethnic population who "are keen to see their own heroes".

"Indeed it might be said that Pakistan might get a better crowd in Leeds than in Karachi," Clarke says in a feature on the future of Test cricket in the November issue of The Wisden Cricketer magazine. "It's something we are considering, how we play these types of games and where we can play them.

"I like the idea of providing the opportunity with our fabulous grounds and our huge ethnic minority populations who are keen to see their own heroes. And it may be in the interests of cricket; that's the most important thing for me."

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Players/Umpires

Giles Clarke

Teams

England

Pakistan