CRICKET NEWS:ENGLAND ARE ready to resume their tour of India after a security report from Chennai alleviated safety concerns. That, coupled with the prospect of similar assurance from Mohali, has convinced the England and Wales Cricket Board that it is safe for the two Test matches to go ahead.
With the exception of Ryan Sidebottom, ruled out by a side strain, and Stuart Broad, who is being allowed a few more days to recover from a hamstring injury suffered during the recent abandoned one-day series before flying out to Chennai, it will be a full England squad - including Andrew Flintoff and Steve Harmison, and reinforced by nine members of the performance squad - that will fly to Abu Dhabi today for a holding camp, where they will practise before moving on to Chennai on Monday. The first of two Tests is scheduled to begin there on December 11th.
The announcement from Lord's of the intention to resume the tour came after two days of meetings between ECB officials, security advisers and government departments. "The only consideration in all our discussions has been the safety and security of the team and support staff," explained Hugh Morris, the managing director of England cricket.
"We have been delighted by the input of the Professional Cricketers' Association and also the willingness of the Board of Control for Cricket in India to act upon our recommendations regarding security. While we have sought to reassure players that their safety is paramount we have not pressurised any player into making the trip against their will.
"Those who leave for Abu Dhabi are all anticipating travelling to India if both the head of the PCA, Sean Morris, and I are happy that Reg Dickason's security plans have been activated. The board and players will be kept fully informed."
He added: "The PCA and ECB have worked extremely closely on this issue, and the players have been fully supportive throughout. We will access the highest calibre of security advice on a regular basis so that we can provide the players with the latest accurate information. I have been assured by the ECB that they would never compromise the players' safety and security."
Both Hugh Morris and Sean Morris were due to travel to India last night to meet Dickason and will fly on to the United Arab Emirates to brief the players.
The key to the unanimous decision to return was the positive assessment of conditions by Dickason, the ECB security expert. Dickason was in Chennai yesterday, inspecting the team hotel, the MA Chidambaram Stadium and the route between the two, and has expressed himself satisfied with the strong arrangements that will be put in place by the Chennai police under its commissioner, Thiru K Radhakrishnan.
"We can provide absolute total security," the police chief said yesterday after Dickason had completed his tour. Dickason will now carry out a similar exercise in Mohali, before completing his reports. Yesterday the chief executive of the ECB, David Collier, praised the way the Indian authorities had handled the situation.
• Guardian Service
