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Three British tabloid journalists are resigned to being sent home from England's disastrous tour of Australia before next week's Twenty20 series, because they have been unable to extend their visas beyond the 90 days they have already been in the country.
That might sound like a lucky escape, after three months reporting on England defeats in all corners of Australia. But through some combination of professionalism, masochism and stubborn optimism that England may win a game before the end of the tour, John Etheridge of the Sun, the veteran of the press pack, insists he will leave with a heavy heart.
"The regulations on Australian visas were tightened up last year," he explained from Perth, where England will play the fourth of their five-match 50-over series on Friday. "Myself, Dean Wilson of the Mirror and Paul Newman of the Daily Mail are the only three journalists who have been doing the whole tour.
"The visas we were given, [sub] class 400 I think, last for 90 days, and that leaves us about 10 days short. In fairness Cricket Australia have been very helpful on our behalf, and have tried to sort something out with the immigration authorities. But today we were told finally that all avenues have been exhausted, so myself and Dean have to go home after the fourth ODI, which means we miss the last game in Adelaide and the three Twenty20 games next week. We were hoping we might see England win a game!
"Paul can stay a couple more days because he arrived a couple of days later than us at the start of the tour, also in Perth. It's quite annoying, having done six Ashes tours, and not missed a day's cricket, to be told you can't stay. It just seems extraordinary to me that Cricket Australia arrange a tour that lasts 100 days but you can only get a visa to cover it for 90.
"We have hotels booked, expenses will be paid, so it's not as if we will be taking anything out of the country. It's just the intransigence of the Australian immigration department."
Only seven of the England players, led by the captain Alastair Cook, plus a number of the coaching and support staff, have stayed for the whole duration of what has been a chastening tour with Etheridge, Wilson and Newman. They have travelled on a different visa. None of them have yet been seen organising a whip-round to pay for a taxi to take the journalists to the airport.
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