After Lahore attacks:

ICC reviews security at matches

CRICKET: DUBAI, April 18, 2009: The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Friday agreed to review security at international matches following the ambush of the Sri Lankan team in Lahore in March which left eight policemen dead.

Lord Condon, the chairman of the ICC's anti-corruption and security unit, will lead a task force team, which will include ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat and ICC directors Jack Clarke and Shashank Manohar ."This review will include an assessment of whether current protocols employed by our members are adequate and, if they are not, what can be done to improve them," said Lorgat.

"The ultimate purpose of the review is to help create a safe and secure environment where international cricket can proceed wherever possible.

It will be carried out as soon as possible."The ICC executive board also agreed that other sports security arrangements should be consulted.

"Cricket does not exist in isolation and there are many other sports in the world that, because of the current political climate, may be experiencing similar challenges to the ones confronting our game," added Lorgat. "As part of Lord Condon's review we will seek to make contact with a range of sports and see what we can learn and also whether we can share knowledge and experiences with them."

Meanwhile, Zimbabwe cricket was told their hopes of a return to Test match status will depend on improvements in its domestic structure.

A task team headed by Julian Hunte, the president of the West Indies Cricket Board, reported that Zimbabwe's national representative sides must satisfy reasonable performance criteria in first-class matches while a longer and more competitive first-class league is introduced.

AFP