India pledges tight security for NZ tour

In the light of the recent bomb blasts in Mumbai, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has verified that it has adequate security arrangements in place for New Zealand's forthcoming tour of India.

New Zealand, while they have not yet asked for any reassurance, will have reason to feel queasy - they returned midway from their tour of Pakistan last year because of a bomb blast outside their hotel, and almost did the same in Sri Lanka in 1992 after bombs went off outside their hotel. They have since been apprehensive about terrorist threats, and withdrew from their match in Kenya in this year's World Cup for just that reason.

SK Nair, the BCCI's secretary, said: "We have issued directions to all the staging associations to ensure trouble-free conduct of matches during the two series and have asked all the associations to adhere to the ICC guidelines on security. We will not adopt a soft approach at all. We will be very strict because even one incident can tarnish the country's image."

Nair emphasized that the BCCI was taking the matter seriously. "Although New Zealand Cricket has not approached us so far expressing their concern over security measures," he said, "we are prepared for the worst."

Meanwhile Martin Snedden, NZC's chief executive, has said that NZC were waiting to hear from India, and that there would be no knee-jerk reaction at their end.