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| October 29, 2001 | Monday | Shaba'an 11, 1422 |
Five must decide early: ECB official
LONDON, Oct 28: Five England internationals still agonising whether or not to tour India next month because of security fears will need to decide early next week, England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chief executive Tim Lamb said Sunday.
“If somebody decides not to go on the tour then obviously we have to find a replacement,” Lamb told Radio 5 Live. “So we can’t leave it until literally a few days before the team is about to depart.
“I would hope that early next week everybody will have confirmed their position.”
Opener Marcus Trescothick, pace bowler Andy Caddick, all-rounder Craig White and spinners Ashley Giles and Robert Croft were granted more time on Friday to decide whether they wanted to tour.
In addition batsman Mark Butcher, primarily responsible for England’s sole Test win against Australia this year, has said he could still pull out if the situation worsened on the subcontinent. The team fly out on Nov 14.
The 16 players had been given until noon on Friday to confirm their availability after the players were briefed on Tuesday on the situation in India following the Sept 11 attacks on New York and Washington and the subsequent US-led raids on Afghanistan.
“I would be very disappointed if anybody pulled out but we have to respect the wishes of the individual,” Lamb added.
England will play three Tests in India before flying home for a break then returning for a five-match one-day series in January.
Former Pakistan captain Imran Khan said he could not understand why any player would turn down a tour of India.
“Why should it not be safe?,” he told Radio 5. “There is no war in India. There might be some problems with Kashmir but the rest of India is as safe as it has been for 20, 30, 40 or 50 years. Why would anybody be threatened in India?”—Reuters
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