There is still a possibility that three England tour matches that were taken away from the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg could be restored if the Gauteng Cricket Board (GCB) meet the demands laid down by Cricket South Africa (CSA).

The three matches - a ProTwenty match, a one-day international and a Test match - were taken away from the GCB after a row developed between Gauteng and CSA.

Speaking after an emergency meeting of the CSA Board on Thursday, CSA President Dr Mtutuzeli Nyoka said CSA was eager to get international cricket back to the Wanderers as soon as possible.

He said that if GCB apologised for allegations made against CSA chief executive Gerald Majola and the CSA itself, and provided CSA with the terms and conditions for hosting international cricket matches, the situation could be reviewed.

"Nothing is cast in stone," said Nyoka. "Once the dispute is resolved, we will go back to the Board to decide what to do."

However, the row between the two bodies continues to escalate.

Nyoka said it had come to his attention that GCB had written to the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to complain about CSA and to give its side of the dispute.

"It is unprecedented that a union should go to a foreign party to discuss our problems and to air our dirty linen in public," said Nyoka. "They should have taken their complaints to the MEC for Sport in Gauteng, or to the Minister of Sport.

"Almost all the union presidents were shocked to learn that GCB had written to the ECB. It appears that Gauteng continues to set new standards of unacceptable behaviour."

He said that at its emergency meeting, the Board had unanimously resolved to endorse the report by Majola on the Indian Premier League (IPL) tournament and had highlighted the financial and other benefits to South Africa that resulted from the IPL.

The Board had also considered the history of the dispute with the GCB and resolved to reject what it called "the unwarranted attacks by the GCB on Majola and the CSA, and to insist that GCB withdrew its comments and apologise to the CSA chief executive, CSA, the IPL and the Board of Control of Cricket in India.

Nyoka said that the mediation process to resolve the dispute would get under way on Friday morning. Two lawyers - Brian Currin and Khabo Mamba - have been appointed mediators, and Nyoka and CSA legal adviser Max Boqwana were scheduled to meet them early on Friday morning.

"They will also talk to GCB to get their side of the story," said Nyoka.

"The lawyers are very confident that the dispute can be resolved within a matter of days."

Nyoka said that while the dispute could be resolved, it would take time before CSA and GCB could put the events of the past few weeks behind them.

He said the "turbulent period" CSA and GCB were going through had not been good for cricket, but he believed support for cricket was still strong.

"It is unfortunate that the cricket fans, who have been loyal to South African cricket in good times and in bad, should be caught in the middle.

"But I am an optimist, and I believe matters will be resolved for the benefit of all."

Sapa

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