England to travel to Abu Dhabi before continuing India tour
Pietersen's side will prepare for the Test series in Abu Dhabi
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Thursday, 04, Dec 2008 09:02
England's tour of India is set to go ahead after the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced the side would prepare for the Test series in Abu Dhabi.
The squad are set to fly out to Abu Dhabi later today after the ECB was satisfied with the security report it received from the government and other agencies.
England's tour had been jeopardised by the terrorist attacks in Mumbai, where the second Test was due to be played, last week and it was not known if the players would return.
But the ECB gave the first signal that they plan to go ahead with the tour by moving preparation to Abu Dhabi, although they will not be playing a warm up match and will only plat the two Tests.
Yesterday evening, a statement from the ECB said: "After spending the last 72 hours consulting security advisers and Government agencies at the highest level, the England and Wales Cricket Board has determined that England will leave for Abu Dhabi tomorrow [Thursday] to resume their two Test tour of India."
The original squad, minus Ryan Sidebottom and Stuart Broad who are currently injured, will practice in Abu Dhabi with members of the performance squad.
Reg Dickason, the team's security adviser, along with managing director England cricket Hugh Morris and Sean Morris, chief executive of the professional cricketers association (PCA), will travel to India to ensure that all ECB security requirements have been implemented for both Test venues before reporting back to the team to make a final decision.
Hugh Morris said: "The only consideration in all our discussions has been the safety and security of the team and support staff.
"We have been delighted by the input of the PCA and also the willingness of the BCCI to act upon our recommendations regarding security."
A number of players expressed concerns about going back to play the two Tests over the weekend but a positive security report appears to have allayed some of their fears.
Sean Morris praised the players for having been "fully supportive" throughout the on-going discussion since they arrived back from India.
Morris insists that player safety remains the top priority for the PCA and the ECB.
He said: "I have been assured by the ECB that they would never compromise the players' safety and security.
"Hugh and I are travelling to India this weekend to confirm for the players that the security is of the high standard that the ECB and PCA demand."
If the tour does go ahead the first Test will be played in Chennai on December 11th with the second Test - moved from Mumbai to Mohali - due to commence on December 19th.
England Test squad
Kevin Pietersen (Hampshire) captain
Tim Ambrose (Warwickshire)
James Anderson (Lancashire)
Ian Bell (Warwickshire)
Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire) – travelling directly to Chennai
Paul Collingwood (Durham)
Alastair Cook (Essex)
Andrew Flintoff (Lancashire)
Stephen Harmison (Durham)
Monty Panesar (Northamptonshire)
Matthew Prior (Sussex)
Owais Shah (Middlesex)
Andrew Strauss (Middlesex)
Graeme Swann (Nottinghamshire)