August 19, 2008	Tuesday	Sha’aban 16, 1429

SYDNEY, Aug 18: Former Test vice-captain Adam Gilchrist is adamant Australia’s leading cricketers will abide by advice of the security experts on whether they should go to Pakistan for next month’s ICC Champions Trophy.

While some players, particularly all-rounder Andrew Symonds, expressed reservations about going to Pakistan, now retired Gilchrist felt the group would likely do what they’re advised.

“I was speaking to a couple of (players). There’s a lot of uncertainty and there always seems to be these big decisions to be made,” Gilchrist said. “It is an important time for cricket, everyone has identified that — players and administrators.

“But as was the case throughout my career, you just take the advice of experts in the security field and that’s what Cricket Australia (CA) and the players association are continuing to do and players would trust that opinion, I have no doubt about that,” he added.

An ICC task force met senior Australian cricket identities in Melbourne last Friday to brief them on the latest security measures for the tournament.

CA maintained a “wait-and-see” attitude and were expecting to be briefed by the ICC over next few days.

While Sri Lanka was suggested as an alternative host for the Champions Trophy, CA officials said they had “no consideration of an alternative venue at this stage” and were still awaiting further feedback from the ICC.

CA acting chief executive officer Michael Brown stressed players’ individual opinions on whether they would travel to Pakistan had not yet been canvassed.

“The important issue now is for us to work with the ICC, we are not in the business of going to players and asking their answers prior to us making a decision,” Brown said.

“I work very closely with Paul Marsh, Australian Cricketers Association (ACA) chief executive, and individual players from time to time, but we are not deliberately interfering with players preparation at the moment until we have got something to tell them.”—Agencies