LAHORE, Oct 19: Cricketers taking part in the ongoing President’s Trophy have expressed their reservations over poor security arrangements and quality of cricket balls being provided to them.

Some cricketers representing different teams told Dawn on the condition of anonymity that despite the fact more than a dozen international players were playing at the Sialkot’s Jinnah Stadium, there was hardly any policeman on duty at the venue with general public succeeding in coming close to the dressing room.

“Obviously the players were scared in that situation as any untoward accident could happen,” the cricketers said.

They added: “This is our first-class tournament, therefore, the PCB and regional heads should be more focused since a good number of Test cricketers are also playing for their departments.”

Moreover, no doctor was available at the Gaddafi Stadium on Thursday where HBL’s opener and Test cricketer Imran Farhat injured his left hand while taking a catch.

Later on, he had to go to a private hospital.

There are also reports that quality of the balls used in the tournament is also poor further worsening problems of the players.

“The balls are so hard that even having played with them for four days their shape remains the same, besides their hardness causes problems, including breaking the bats and damaging hands of batsmen,” they lamented.

They said that they would prefer Kookaburra ball because of its high quality.

“The PCB should make the Kookaburra balls available to us,” the cricketers, who due to fear of being penalised by the PCB for such kind of talk to the media, stated that funds should be used for betterment of the cricketers and every facility should be provided to them particularly at the first-class level.

There is a report that the PCB think-tank has already taken a notice of the complaint about the poor quality of the balls and the matter may come under discussion at the PCB internal committee meeting, scheduled to be held late on Friday night.