July 29, 2008	Tuesday	Rajab 25, 1429

MELBOURNE, July 28: Even as the furor over safety in Pakistan during Champions Trophy was yet to calm down, Australia have raised new security concerns about their four-Test tour of Indian subcontinent in October after back-to-back serial bomb blasts rocked Bangalore and Ahmedabad last week.

Representatives from Cricket Australia (CA) and the Australian Cricketers Association are due to leave for India on Aug 10 for the latest inspection, and may now also take a security consultant.

CA General Manager of public affairs, Peter Young discussed the latest bombings with Chief Executive James Sutherland as the first Test is scheduled in Bangalore, where nine explosions killed two and injured 12 on Friday night. A day later, blasts in Ahmedabad killed at least 30 people and injured more than 100.

“We have a principle which supports a consistent process of having a pre-tour inspection and assessment before every tour,” Young was quoted as saying by ‘The Australian’.

However, Tim May, chief executive of the Federation of International Cricketers Associations (FICA) said it was unfair to compare the Jaipur bombing to the situation in Pakistan.

“Pakistan has had 66 suicide bombings within its country over the past 12 months with over 3000 people killed,” May said. “There was no security assessment that there was the likelihood of any further bombs going off in Jaipur.”—Agencies