Afghanistan 'A' to replace Australia 'A' for SA tour

Cape Town - The Afghanistan Cricket Board has accepted Cricket South Africa's (CSA) invitation to replace Australia 'A' in the triangular series against South Africa 'A' and India 'A' to be played later this month.

This comes after the Australia Cricketers' Association (ACA) said their players were unavailable to tour South Africa for the Australia 'A' team without an agreed pay deal or new Memorandum of Understanding, after their existing contracts with Cricket Australia expired on June 30 following months of increasingly acrimonious wrangling.

"We are delighted that Afghanistan have accepted our invitation and look forward to welcoming them to our country for the very first time," commented CSA chief executive, Haroon Lorgat.

"Afghanistan were deservedly granted Full Member status at the ICC annual conference last month after showing impressive growth in recent years.

"They are a passionate cricket nation and I expect the Afghanistan 'A' team to compete strongly against our 'A' team and India 'A' in the upcoming tri-series," concluded Lorgat.

"We are very pleased to accept Cricket South Africa's invitation to participate in the upcoming triangular series," commented Afghanistan chief executive, Shafiqullah Stanikzai.

"This will be our first-ever visit to South Africa and I am certain that this will give Afghansitan 'A' team very good exposure to competitive cricket."

India 'A' will continue their tour after the final of the one-day series for the two four-day matches against South Africa 'A'.

TOURNAMENT FIXTURES

SA 'A', Afghanistan 'A' and India 'A' Tri-Series Fixtures in South Africa

July 26 - Afghanistan 'A' v India 'A', 1st Day Match in Groenkloof, Pretoria

July 28 - South Africa 'A' v India 'A', 2nd Day Match in Tuks Oval, Pretoria

July 20 - South Africa 'A' v Afghanistan 'A',3rd Day Match in Tuks Oval, Pretoria

August 1 - India 'A' v Afghanistan 'A', 4th Day Match in Tuks Oval, Pretoria

August 30 - South Africa 'A' v India 'A', 5th Day Match in Tuks Oval, Pretoria

August 5 - South Africa 'A' v Afghanistan 'A', 6th Day Match in Tuks Oval, Pretoria

August 8 - TBC V TBC, Final in Tuks Oval, Pretoria

August 12-15 - South Africa 'A' v India 'A', 1st 4-Day Match in Willowmoore Park, Benoni

August 19-22 - South Africa 'A' v India 'A', 2nd 4-Day Match in Senwes Park, Potchefstroom