Jalal slams PCB over system changes

KARACHI: Pakistan’s former cricketer Jalaluddin said on Sunday that slashing nine cricket teams from domestic first-class cricket was not enough to raise the standard of the game.
He told ‘The News’ that the domestic cricket would not improve unless top cricketers of the country regularly participated in it, teams were selected on merit, and four days gap was given between two matches.
He said that due to only two days gap, the players and the team management remained under pressure because much of that time was spent in traveling. “How can players do well when they are constantly on the move!” he said. He said injuries did not heal in two days. “It would be better if three or four days gap was given between two first-class matches,” he said.
Jalal further said that all first-class matches should be played at top-class stadiums of the country so that the players could play on the best available pitches and other good facilities were available to them.
He further said that umpiring system was the most neglected aspect due to which the standard of the game was going down.
He alleged that umpires were appointed on the basis of recommendations due to which wrong decisions were given and there was no accountability of the umpires.
Jalal demanded that a panel of good umpires be established for first-class cricket and they should be held accountable for their performance.
He said the PCB makes changes to the system and changes it again when it faces criticism.
“What was the fault of those teams which have been disqualified?” he asked.
“Every year they change their own decisions without taking into confidence the stakeholders,” he said. “Those teams that may face the axe should be informed a year in advance so that they have time to improve,” he said.
He said no positive result would be achieved as regards standard of cricket.
“When people who are themselves not involved at the grassroots level make domestic cricket plan, only these faulty systems will be developed,” he said.
He said comparing Pakistan’s domestic cricket with Australia’s or England’s was illogical as each country had its own circumstances, culture and environment.