Australia's two-Test tour of Bangladesh in further doubt
Wednesday 30 September 2015 09:32, UK
Australia's Test squad have been sent back to train with their states while they await a decision on whether their tour of Bangladesh will go ahead.
The squad were due to fly out on Monday for a two-Test tour but have not left yet due to concerns about the potential security risk posed by militants in the Asian nation.
A security delegation from Cricket Australia which went to Bangladesh over the weekend has now returned and was due to report on Wednesday, prompting speculation the tour will be cancelled.
At the time, the Australia delegation was in the country, an Italian aid worker in Dhaka was shot dead in an attack claimed by Islamic State.
And Bangladesh Cricket Board president Nazmul Hassan admitted that, while the Australia tourists have been assured of top-level security, the shooting may have put an end to any possibility of the tour happening.
"The situation is now different after the death of the Italian national," said Hassan.
"The UK and US governments have also given out alerts. This is a very rare incident in Bangladesh but one has to understand the difference between this and a cricket team that is given blanket security."
Regarding the visit of the Australian delegation, he added: "In the space of a day and a half, we took them to the highest level of our security and intelligence agencies, the home minister, as well as the prime minister's security advisor.
"Everyone reassured them that there won't be any trouble. We will give them four-layered security."
Australia captain Steven Smith, wicket-keeper Peter Nevill and off-spinner Nathan Lyon were among those who turned out for training for New South Wales on Wednesday ahead of a domestic one-day tournament.
Seamer Peter Siddle and all-rounder Glenn Maxwell also returned to training in Melbourne, a Cricket Victoria spokesman said.
A decision on whether the tour will go ahead has to be made soon because Australia are scheduled to play host to New Zealand in a three-Test series which starts in early November.
