Advice on SARS makes NZ tour more likely

New Zealand's tour of Sri Lanka is all go at this stage and it appears it would take a severe downturn in the SARS situation to stop it.

New Zealand Cricket's chief executive Martin Snedden, whose time at the helm has been tumultuous to say the least with his start occurring only a month before the September 11 attacks on New York, Washington and Pennsylvania with his team en route to a tour of Pakistan, has taken expert advice on the SARS threat.

The situation was being treated seriously by New Zealand Cricket and players are to be briefed before leaving New Zealand next week.

"At the moment Sri Lanka is SARS free.

"The only possible risk to the team is in transit or at Singapore Airport where the team will stop over for four hours. We have received advice on sensible precautions to take during the stopover and aboard the plane," he said.

"According to expert advice there is little risk of contact with an infected person during the short stop over or on the flight.

"We will continue to monitor the situation and to take appropriate precautions," he said.