Women's game a key factor in Afghanistan Test discussions

Cricket Australia have confirmed the Afghanistan government's stance on women's involvement in the sport will be a "very real consideration" in ongoing discussions on whether the scheduled historic men's Test between the two nations will proceed as planned in November.

Australia and Afghanistan are due to meet in their maiden Test at Hobart's Blundstone Arena from November 27, but Tasmania Premier Peter Gutwein this week expressed "very real concerns" as to whether the match should go ahead in the absence of commitments to women's sport from the newly installed Taliban regime.

Taliban officials, who announced their caretaker government in Kabul yesterday, have reportedly offered assurances of support for Afghanistan's men's team travelling to next month's ICC T20 World Cup in the UAE and Oman and the subsequent Test assignment in Australia.

However, doubt remains over the future of the women's program in Afghanistan given the Taliban's historic opposition to women's freedom to work and attend school.

Under the International Cricket Council's regulations, nations with Test status (as Afghanistan earned in 2017) are required to field national men's and women's teams.

CA Chief Executive Officer Nick Hockley said today discussions were continuing with the Australia and Tasmania governments regarding the proposed Vodafone Test and acknowledged the recent regime change in Afghanistan presented "an extremely challenging and complex situation".

"What is absolutely unequivocal is our stance on cricket as a sport for all, driving gender equality," Hockley told Melbourne radio station SEN.

"We want to see cricket for women and men thrive all around the world.

"The current situation is very new, international cricket is working to understand the implications but it's something we'll continue to watch very closely.

"We don't yet have all of the answers but we're in dialogue and taking our advice from all the relevant organisations.

"We're working very closely, and having all the right discussions, with the ICC, the Australian Government and ultimately we'll take our lead from them."

Hockley has been in similarly close contact with officials at the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to try and allay concerns raised by some England players about the bio-security measures surrounding this summer's Vodafone Ashes Series.

He spoke with his ECB counterpart Tom Harrison last night and acknowledged he felt a "high degree of empathy" for the England players, who have spent much of the past 18 months in bio-secure bubbles and face a further five-month stretch if they are involved in both the T20 World Cup and Ashes.

Hockley said CA is working closely with Australia's federal and state governments as well as the individual venues for each Ashes Test to find a way in which the families of England players might be able to be present for some of the summer.

"It's a long time away, it's a long time in bio-secure bubbles," Hockley said of the combined T20 World Cup-Ashes sojourn.

"So we'll continue to work through the appropriate channels to try and get support for families to join the tour.

"Our hope is that, over the coming weeks, we'll be able to provide the assurance that the plans we'll have in place will provide them with the comfort that they're going to have a great experience, and for those who want to bring family members that they can.

"Ultimately it will be their decision as to who they'll bring, but we're working extremely constructively with the ECB."

With the scheduled start of the opening Test at Brisbane's Gabba three months away, it is impossible to foreshadow the level of pandemic-related restrictions that might apply in Australian jurisdictions for the five-Test campaign.

However, Hockley remains hopeful that if vaccination rates continue to climb then venues around the country could host crowds at or near capacity as has been the case in the UK for recent sporting events including the ongoing Test series between England and India.

"I think that's a positive sign of what's possible and all the indications are that vaccination rates (in Australia) will be high come the end of the year, so we remain extremely optimistic," he said.

"We've obviously got contingency plans for any eventuality, but our hope is that everyone gets vaccinated and, come the summer, we'll all be back to live events and the Ashes."

Hockley also reiterated his support for men's team coach Justin Langer whose relationship with players became the recent focus of intense media scrutiny, resulting in discussions between CA's CEO and chair Earl Eddings and on-field leaders Tim Paine, Aaron Finch and Pat Cummins.

As a result of that initiative as well as conversations between Langer and members of the playing group, Hockley says commitments have been made on all sides that will see clearly defined roles for the team's coaching staff and leadership.

"JL (Langer) has done a fantastic job of getting the team back on track and his contract runs through until the middle of next year," Hockley said.

"There have been, over the last two to three weeks, some really direct, honest discussions and they've been really constructive.

"That's what you want from great teams, that open and honest communication and clarity.

"What we've got now is a great foundation as we work through a World Cup and an Ashes, and there's no more intense environment than World Cup tournament play and then into an Ashes.

"I've been extremely proud of everyone involved."