England concerned over airport threats
Posted on Dec 04, 2008 at 20:33 | Updated Dec 05, 2008 at 13:50
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London: The developing security situation in India has got the ECB in a fix even as the England team flew out to Abu Dhabi, in anticipation of the tour to India. With major airports in India being put on high alert against possible terror strikes, the tour still hangs in the balance.
With intelligence agencies warning of possible terror strikes at airports, security is immediately being tightened up. The Chennai, Bangalore and Delhi airports in particular have had airport security intensified, though the alert applies even for smaller airports closer to the border. And this is, quite naturally, casting fresh doubts on England's tour of India.
"We are obviously concerned," said ECB managing director Hugh Morris. "What we need to do is to find out the information. I have spoken to the security team in Chennai a couple of times already this morning. They are finding out exactly what the situation is with the alerts."
Even as the likely Test squad flies out to Abu Dhabi on Thursday, ECB officials will fly in to India to join security expert Reg Dickason to assess the full implementation of security arrangements that the ECB had requested for.
"We feel that going to Abu Dhabi for some practice before the first Test match also gives us a little bit more time to implement our security plans on the ground, that's why our security team is in Chennai at the moment. That's how we are proceeding," Morris added.
While the team will wait till Sunday to decide whether to commit to the tour or not, clearly efforts were made to sound out that no one was under any pressure to go to India.
"I respect everybody's individual concern," said England captain Kevin Pietersen. "I respect all their decisions, I respect everything that they have to go through. They are men at the end of the day - they make decisions for themselves. I think it's very clear that nobody was told what to do. Nobody was persuaded on what to do."
There are, of course, concerns given the fresh hijack threats on Thursday. There is confidence, however, that if everything goes according to plan, there will be some cricket in Chennai next week. However, the final decision is expected only on Sunday evening.
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Posted By baijurajitha
i agree..they escaped from here fearing a 7-0 whitewash in the ODI series giving excuses of terror attacks. Now they
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Posted By sanjumadhav
I think it would be better for the Indian cricket fan if England stayed away. Who wants to watch another
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