Australia monitoring Pakistan security ahead of tour

CRICKET: Melbourne, Australia, Dec. 29: Australia will monitor violence in Pakistan following Benazir Bhutto's assassination to gauge whether the national cricket team can safely tour next year, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said Friday.

Rudd said his government would liaise closely with Cricket Australia on security issues surrounding the tour after rioting erupted in Pakistan in the wake of the opposition leader's murder late Thursday.

"We've already seen evidence of violence in the short period of time that's elapsed since the assassination, in the days ahead we don't know what's yet to occur," Rudd told reporters in Melbourne.

"Therefore the most responsible course of action is for us to be in the closest possible contact with Cricket Australia so an appropriate, timely, informed decision can be made about this particular tour." Rudd said the government's main concern was the safety and security of the Australian team, which is due to arrive in Pakistan on March 10 to play three Tests, five one-dayers and a Twenty20 international.

Cricket Australia spokesman Peter Young said his organisation and the Australian Cricketers' Association would not make a decision on whether to proceed with the tour for several weeks.

"It's an appalling tragedy and we only hope that the civil situation in Pakistan can improve," Young said.

Australia have not toured Pakistan since 1998, with their last scheduled tour in 2002 moved to the neutral venues of Sharjah and Colombo due to security concerns.

Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland said there were currently no plans to move the upcoming tour to neutral venues and, in any case, such a decision rested with Pakistani cricket authorities.

"Right now playing in a neutral venue is not something that's under consideration," Sutherland told reporters in Melbourne.

"There's a commitment to tour Pakistan and we'll be pursuing every avenue we can for that tour to go ahead. Whether we play in a neutral venue is not up to Cricket Australia, it's a matter for the Pakistan Cricket Board."

Sutherland said a decision on whether to tour would not be taken until late February, after consultation with independent and Australian government security experts.

AFP

Wasim Akram concerned for touring teams following assassination of Bhutto

CRICKET: MELBOURNE, Australia, Dec. 29: Former Pakistan cricket captain Wasim Akram says the assassination of Benazir Bhutto will discourage teams from touring the country.

Akram, who played 104 tests from 1985-2002, including 25 as captain, said he was shocked and upset by the death of the Pakistan opposition leader.Bhutto died Thursday when an attacker shot her and then blew himself up as she left a political rally in Rawalpindi, a city near the capital.Pakistan officials fear Bhutto's death could cause an outbreak of more violence across the country, and the crisis has now cast serious doubt over whether Cricket Australia's scheduled tour in March will go ahead.

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said Friday the government would be watching developments closely. Although he said a decision on the tour would be left to Cricket Australia.

"Our first and foremost concern, like Cricket Australia's, is the safety and security of the Australian cricket team and we will be providing, through the government, every source of information necessary for Cricket Australia to be making an informed judgment about the future of that particular tour," Rudd said.

Akram believed visiting sporting sides would be safe in Pakistan, but admitted he feared the assassination would have major implications for cricket in the country, as opposition sides would be discouraged from touring.

"It will in general make a big impact on Pakistan cricket because teams might not tour there," Akram said at the first cricket test between Australia and India, where is a television commentator.

"But we don't know yet what's going to happen now. I've been sitting in Australia and of course I'm worried about every Pakistani back home, that they are safe and sound."

Akram was optimistic the situation would ease in his homeland over the next two weeks, and said the scheduled general elections would determine whether it was safe for overseas sporting teams to visit.

"If I had to go straight away probably I'd wait until the elections and then after that everything would definitely settle down after the 8th of January, that's for sure," he said. "I'm very optimistic."

AP