Bomb attacks raise concern over visit

A spate of bomb attacks in India has caused some concern in Australia ahead of the four-Test tour in October and November 2008. Representatives from Cricket Australia and the Australian Cricketers' Association, possibly a security consultant too, are due to leave for India on August 10 for an inspection.

The concerns have emerged in the same week when players' associations in Australia, England, New Zealand and South Africa have lambasted the ICC decision to go ahead with the Champions Trophy in Pakistan despite security concerns.

Peter Young, Cricket Australia's general manager of public affairs, was to discuss the situation with James Sutherland, the chief executive, the Australian reported. "We have a principle which supports a consistent process of having a pre-tour inspection and assessment before every tour," Young said.

The BCCI, though, played down any talk of the tour being put off. "We don't have to go by media reports," Ratnakar Shetty, the BCCI chief administrative officer, told Cricinfo. "We will take a stand if it has to be taken and we don't have to publicly announce it"

Australia had postponed its tour to Pakistan earlier this year, after a series of bomb blasts rocked the country. Players such as Ricky Ponting and Andrew Symonds had expressed their concern over the visit in March-April, and have reiterated the same ahead of the team's defence of the Champions Trophy in September.

The proposed tour begins with the first Test in Bangalore on October 9. Bangalore was hit by a series of blasts on Friday, though the low intensity of the explosives caused marginal damage.