CA, players' body monitoring security situation after twin blasts

Sydney, Aug 27 (UNI) Australian Cricketers Association and Cricket Australia said they have no immediate concern of the twin blasts in Hyderabad, but are monitoring the security situation in India ahead of their seven-match ODI series starting next month.

Australia tours India for a seven-ODI and one off Twenty20 match series from september 29 to October 20 and Hyderabad is scheduled to host a day-night match on October 5.

''It's a concern for the Australian Cricketers Association and we'll be talking with Cricket Australia and the relevant authorities,'' chief executive officer of the players' group Paul Marsh told 'The Australian'.

A Cricket Australia spokesman said, ''We have absolute confidence in the security arrangements that the BCCI and their experts, along with our experts, have put in place for the Australian team.'' ''We are taking regular briefings from the relevant international and domestic agencies and we always place the security of our players as absolute priority.'' ''As with any overseas tour, we will continue to liaise with our colleagues overseas. We are used to travelling to places that are often in the news,'' the spokesman added.

A Cricket Australia advance team has already reviewed security for the tour.

Australia refused to play a 1996 World Cup one-day match in Sri Lanka after a terrorist bombing in Colombo.

It also pulled out of a tour of Pakistan in 2002 because of the war in neighbouring Afghanistan but played the 2005 Ashes series despite a terrorist attack in central London.

UNI