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Serious Concerns now for Cricket Australia for Champions Twenty20 League |
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Pitched By Subhangi Sinha
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Thursday, 27 November 2008 |
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What doesnt seem to be a surpise any more, CRICKET Australia has halted plans for Australian cricketers to travel to India for next week's Champions Twenty20 League.
It follows the terrorist
attacks which have killed about 80 people in Mumbai.
The Western Australia and Victoria state teams are scheduled to play in the tournament along with Test stars Mike Hussey, Matthew Hayden and Shane Watson and Shane Warne representing I ndian Premier League teams. The Taj Hotel is the cricketers venue of choice in Mumbai. The Victorian side was due to check into the Taj Hotel, which was stormed by gunmen in the strikes, and members were due to arrive there Friday and Saturday. We need to review at least some of our travel plans,” Victorian spokesman Eivion Bowen told The Australian. We were due to fly to Mumbai and stay at the Taj but at this stage we are taking advice from Cricket Australia whose security people are reviewing the situation.''
Cricket Australia said it had placed a temporary halt to the tour.
“Given the circumstances Cricket Australia has put an immediate hold on any cricket related travel to India. We are in ongoing contact with DFAT, our own security expert in India, the Australian Cricketers Association and our own playing groups and stake holders, said CA spokesman Peter Young. “In circumstances like these it always takes 12 hours for clear details to emerge and we will continue to monitor the situation for now. We are basically on temporary hold while we assess the situation, while we get expert advice and while we consult all of the parties who are involved. I wouldn't expect we would be doing anything for at least the next 12 hours.” In the group phase of the eight-team tournament, Victoria are scheduled to play at Mumbai's Brabourne Stadium on Wednesday December 3 against English side Middlesex and the following day against India's Chennai Super Kings who boast Australian stars Hayden and Hussey.
Western Australia play all three of their preliminary-round games in Bangalore.
Indian champions the Rajasthan Royals, captained by Warne and featuring Australian all-rounder Watson, play the Sialkot Stallions at Brabourne Stadium on December 5 and two other matches in Bangalore.
A report on leading cricket website Cricinfo said there were plans for the Mumbai games to be switched to Bangalore.
Hayden, Watson and Hussey are in Adelaide preparing for Friday's second Test against New Zealand. Hayden is due to speak to the media later on Thursday on the eve of his 100th Test.
In Mumbai, heavily armed gunmen have attacked a pair of luxury hotels, a crowded train station, a police station and other targets in the city and taken people hostage.
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