Proteas jumpy of playing tri-series after blast by CricketArchive staff reporter

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Player:	LRD Mendis
Event:	Unitech Cup 2006

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DateLine: 15th August 2006

 

The South African team was on Monday wary of playing in the Sri Lankan tri-series against India and hosts after a deadly blast in Colombo that killed seven people.

 

South African coach Mickey Arthur said he was still apprehensive despite assurances from Sri Lanka’s cricket authorities that the tri-series would go ahead with tighter security for the teams.

 

“They tried to explain how a cricket event or the teams were least likely to be targeted,” Arthur said. “But this was quite close to home and we’re pretty worried. It’s fair to say that if we hadn’t been playing today, a lot of our boys might have been over at Liberty Plaza (the shopping arcade near the blast site). The mood within the team is tense. The situation seems to be getting worse too, if you watch the news and read the papers. Our security men in consultation with the cricket boards will make the final decision. They're probably the best people to make a judgement.”

 

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Cricket chief executive Duleep Mendis said after a meeting with the respective team officials that the series would go on.