India’s cricket chiefs were yesterday hoping Australia’s Test tour would begin as scheduled next week despite security concerns following a series of deadly bomb attacks in New Delhi.
“The blasts are a concern, but I don’t think it will have an impact on the Australian tour,” Indian cricket board secretary Niranjan Shah told reporters.
Five synchronized bomb blasts ripped through crowded markets across the Indian capital on Saturday evening.
New Delhi is scheduled to host the third of the four Tests between India and Australia from Oct. 29 after Ricky Ponting’s tourists arrive next Sunday for the six-week tour.
Cricket Australia has commissioned an urgent review of the security situation in India with officials expecting a decision “in the next week or so.”
“The fundamental principle that always comes first is the safety of the team and the team officials,” Cricket Australia’s public affairs manager Peter Young was quoted as saying by the Web site Cricinfo. “There’s a standard process for every tour. Such is the way of the world these days that this process is completed before we go anywhere.”
Australia was one of the nations that declined to tour Pakistan this month for the International Cricket Council’s Champions Trophy on security grounds, which led to the tournament being put off by a year.
Australia had also refused to undertake a Test tour of Pakistan in March and April for similar security fears.
“The specific answer we were given on Pakistan was that it was not safe to go,” Young said. “We will take advice on this situation and will make a decision. We expect that to be in the next week or so.”
The Australian government’s updated travel advice for India is “to exercise a high degree of caution because of the high risk of terrorist activity by militant groups.”
Indian cricket officials have reason to be wary of Australia’s security concerns.
Ponting’s men are expected to spend the first week training in Jaipur, the state capital of western Rajasthan, where 65 people were killed in similar blasts in May.
The blasts, however, did not deter foreign players, including former Australian spinner Shane Warne, from taking part in the Indian Premier League Twenty20 competition which was being held at that time in various cities, including Jaipur.
The southern city of Bangalore, which hosts the first Test, was rocked by eight bombs in July that killed a woman and injured seven.
England, who tour India after the Australian series, are scheduled to play the first of two Tests in the western city of Ahmedabad, where 45 people were killed in July in serial bomb blasts.
SIBLING RIVALRY: Marc Marquez was locked in a duel with his little brother, falling behind at one point before recovering for his first season-opening victory since 2014 Six-time world champion Marc Marquez yesterday won the MotoGP season-opening Thailand Grand Prix to complete a dominant debut weekend at his new Ducati Lenovo Team, having also romped to Saturday’s sprint. The Spanish great took the 26-lap grand prix by 1.732 seconds for his 63rd MotoGP victory from younger brother Alex Marquez, who is still seeking a first checkered flag, with Francesco Bagnaia third to complete an all-Ducati podium. It completed a perfect weekend for Marc Marquez, who took pole position, the sprint victory and the grand prix win for a maximum 37 points to open the 22-leg 2025 campaign. He led from
AC Milan’s slender hopes of reaching next season’s UEFA Champions League took another hit on Thursday with a 2-1 defeat at Bologna which left them eight points from Serie A’s top four. Sergio Conceicao’s team sit eighth, some way behind fourth-placed Juventus after losing an entertaining contest at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara, a match which was rescheduled from October last year due to torrential rain and flooding. Swathes of the Emilia-Romagna region in northern Italy, much of which is fertile agricultural land, had been left under water following a massive autumn downpour. Dan Ndoye prodded home the decisive goal in the 82nd minute
VALUABLE POINT: Relegation-threatened Valencia snatched a thrilling 3-3 draw at CA Osasuna thanks to a remarkable backheel volley by Umar Sadiq Barcelona on Sunday secured a comfortable 4-0 win over Real Sociedad to move back top of La Liga. Aritz Elustondo’s early red card gave Hansi Flick’s side a comfortable afternoon, with Gerard Martin, Marc Casado, Ronald Araujo and Robert Lewandowski on the score sheet. Atletico Madrid beat Athletic Bilbao on Saturday to temporarily knock the Catalans from their perch, while Real Madrid, third, lost at Real Betis Balompie. Flick was able to rotate his side a little ahead of the UEFA Champions League round-of-16 visit to face SL Benfica tomorrow and still move one point above Atletico. “There were a lot of things that
Former Australian motorcycle gang member-turned-golfer Ryan Peake, who served a lengthy jail term for assault, yesterday produced a “life-changing” maiden win to qualify for The Open Championship. Peake held his nerve for a one-stroke victory at the New Zealand Open, earning him a berth at the major in Portrush, Northern Ireland, in July, pending clearance to travel as a convicted criminal. The 31-year-old from Perth celebrated animatedly and was showered with champagne by friends on the 18th green of the Millbrook Resort course near Queenstown after a redemption story rarely seen in the refined sport of golf. Peake held back tears as he
RSS