Cape Town - The Western Province Cricket Association (WPCA) is unhappy with the fact the fifth ODI between South Africa and Australia, scheduled for Newlands on Wednesday, October 12, clashes with an important date on the religious calendar.
The WPCA has subsequently requested to the International Cricket Council (ICC, via the national body Cricket South Africa (CSA), to avoid such occurrences in future.
Nabeal Dien, chief executive officer of the WPCA, commented on the matter:
“As Western Province, we are very respectful of every religious community in South Africa, and many of our passionate fans at Newlands have been avid followers of the Jewish faith.
“We are aware that Yom Kippur is the most important day on the Hebrew calendar and clashes with the fifth one-day international hosted at Newlands on October 12.
“We have written to CSA and have raised our concerns about hosting the match on the most important day on the Jewish calendar, Yom Kippur (the day of atonement, which starts on October 11 and ends on the evening of October 12).""
With the series starting in Centurion on Friday, the date is unlikely to be changed.
“Unfortunately, as an affiliate, the international itinerary is out of our control, but we have expressed our feelings to the national body. CSA will communicate our concerns about the date to the ICC, requesting that a possible oversight like that should not be repeated," said Dien.
“As WPCA, we treasure the peaceful co-existence and religious harmony of Jewish South Africans, Christians, Muslims and followers of other religious convictions.
"We are determined to respect the sacred space of every religious community. Consequently, we have raised our concerns with the national body,” Dien added.
“We would like to wish our Jewish cricket fans a blessed Yom Kippur and want to ensure them that we will do everything in our power to prevent a repeat of what is occurring on October 12,” Dien added.