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Cricket: Aussies to visit India for security inspection

Mon-Jul 28, 2008

Melbourne / Press Trust of India

Even as the furore over safety in Pakistan during Champions Trophy was yet to calm down, Australia have raised new security concerns about their four-Test tour of Indian subcontinent in October after back-to-back serial bomb blasts rocked Bangalore and Ahmedabad last week.

Representatives from Cricket Australia and the Australian Cricketers Association are due to leave for India on August 10 for the latest inspection, and may now also take a security consultant.

Cricket Australia General Manager of public affairs, Peter Young discussed the latest bombings with Chief Executive James Sutherland as the first Test is scheduled in Bangalore, where nine explosions killed two and injured 12 on on Friday night.

A day later, blasts in Ahmedabad killed at least 45 people and injured more than 100.

"We have a principle which supports a consistent process of having a pre-tour inspection and assessment before every tour," Young was quoted as saying by The Australian.

However, Tim May, chief executive of the Federation of International Cricketers Associations (FICA) said it was unfair to compare the Jaipur bombing to the situation in Pakistan.

"Pakistan has had 66 suicide bombings within its country over the past 12 months with over 3000 people killed and 17 of those attacks have been in the venues of the Champions Trophy," May said.

"There was no security assessment that there was the likelihood of any further bombs going off in Jaipur."

Meanwhile, unsure about travelling to Pakistan for next month's Champions Trophy, Australian pace spearhead Brett Lee said on Monday that his participation in the event hinges on his cricket board's assessment of the security situation in the troubled country.

"I will wait for an official word from Cricket Australia, only then can I say what my perspective is. I still don't know and it's only after CA and the other security agencies tell me, I can decide on the matter," Lee told reporters.

"I would trust people on the ground and what they have to say. People have been commenting on the matter and they are entitled to their opinions but I don't have any right now.

"I am not an expert on security issues so I would rather wait for the experts to tell me what the situation is," he said when asked about the reluctance of some of his teammates and other players on travelling to Pakistan.

The 31-year-old pacer, however, has no issues travelling to India despite the recent serial blasts in cities like Bangalore and Ahmedabad.

"Personally I don't have any problem travelling to India but on travelling to Pakistan for Champions Trophy, it is Cricket Australia that will decide," he said.
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