England ODI captain Eoin Morgan explains security concerns over Bangladesh tour
Friday 9 September 2016 13:53, UK
England ODI captain Eoin Morgan has outlined the reasons he is wary of committing to the one-day section of the tour of Bangladesh later this year.
Moeen Ali, Chris Jordan and Liam Dawson have confirmed they will be available to tour, while Jonny Bairstow has strongly hinted he will also be there, with coaches Trevor Bayliss and Paul Farbrace having also declared they have no problem travelling.
But despite a positive briefing by England's security expert Reg Dickason, Morgan has revealed his personal experience of problems in Bangladesh and India have given him cause for concern.
"In 2010 we played an IPL game in Bangalore, and a bomb went off in the ground," he said. "We immediately left and went straight to the airport.
"Another [instance] was [in] Bangladesh, playing domestic cricket during political elections - where things were incredibly violent.
"I think ultimately, as an individual, you need to be comfortable within yourself to be able to focus on cricket.
"I have been to places before when things have become a distraction - and once or twice when that has been security. I told myself I would not put myself in that situation again."
Morgan and his team-mates have a maximum of 48 hours to confirm to England and Wales Cricket Board director Andrew Strauss whether they are prepared to travel to Bangladesh at the end of this month, with both the Test and limited-overs squads due to be named next week.
England will play three matches under Morgan in Dhaka and Chittagong between October 7 and 12, following a warm-up fixture in Fatullah.
Test captain Cook is also understood to have privately promised his presence for the Test leg of the tour, with all players due to confirm their decisions at the annual appraisals in Loughborough on Friday and Saturday.
"Playing international cricket, or any cricket, is not about worrying about different things," added Morgan.
"It should be the best time of your life; it should be something that you are looking forward to and wanting to do well in and are able to focus on.
"You have guys who haven't toured before under circumstances like this - and I think given that nobody has toured there since the terrorist attack adds a bigger decision to it."
