England reiterate commitment to go ahead with tour

England have reiterated their commitment to their current tour of Sri Lanka and will continue as planned with Sunday's second Test despite another terrorist attack in the north of the country.

According to Sri Lankan authorities, at least 15 people were killed and 38 injured when a Tamil Tiger landmine detonated beneath a crowded bus one and a half hours away from Anuradhapura, 165 miles north of Colombo.

Last week, two bombs exploded within ten hours of each other in Colombo itself, killing at least 17 people including the personal secretary of a government minister. England returned to the capital on Wednesday night, hours after slipping to an 88-run defeat in the first Test at Kandy.

"Reg Dickerson [England's security advisor] has been in touch with the British High Commission," Andrew Walpole, the team's media liaison officer, said. "Their travel advice has not changed. The players are able to leave the team hotel although, as is normal in this situation, they must inform the security manager of where they are going."

Security in Sri Lanka has been on high alert for several months, ever since the fragile peace between the government and the separatist Tamil Tigers began to crumble in early 2006. In August of that year, South Africa's one-day squad pulled out of a triangular tournament in the country following a blast that killed seven and injured 17.

"It definitely caused concern, but we've got to concentrate on the cricket," Kevin Pietersen said after last week's attacks. "It's never nice to hear of casualties, and our hearts go out to those people and their families, but we've been told that our circle is pretty secure, hopefully. We've just been told to get on with the cricket and concentrate on what we've been paid to do."