'It's been difficult not to tour India'

Boje hoped that "some arrangement could be arrived" before the ICC Trophy in India in 2006.

South African spin bowler Nicky Boje has said that his decision not to travel to India for the current one-day series was a "very difficult" one.

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Boje and Hershelle Gibbs said they would not make the trip after Indian authorities did not give a guarantee that the two players would not be interrogated by the police for their alleged involvement in match-fixing during a 2000 tour.

"It has been a very difficult decision not to tour", the spinner said. "We have been working on some efforts to overcome the problem but it was too late for the current tour."

But he expressed hope that "some arrangement could be arrived" before the ICC Champions Trophy scheduled to be held in India in 2006.

Boje said he was preparing for the Australian tour after Graeme Smith's team complete the one-day series in India.

He admitted that he had not seen a lot of the young South African spin bowler Johan Botha but believed he had a lot of potential.

"Young players must realise that it is only through hard work that one succeeds", Boje added.

Meanwhile, a sports delegation of the South African government would be arriving in India within a day or two for talks with Indian authorities and sports officials.

"Spin bowling will form part of the discussions and we are hoping that we could get Anil Kumble to coach our young spinners," he said.