vAustralia and New Zealand on standby for World Cup

Australia and New Zealand on standby for World Cup

Cricinfo staff

	Justin Vaughan: "I'd go to Iraq, if the right security was in place." © Getty Images Enlarge

Australia and New Zealand are believed to be part of a contingency plan to shift the 2011 World Cup out of the subcontinent due to security threats. Justin Vaughan, the New Zealand Cricket (NZC) chief executive, admitted to such a move, but was hopeful that the tournament would go ahead as planned. He also said that New Zealand would tour India as scheduled at the end of the year.

"You cannot move the timing of the tournament [the World Cup], in March-April, so really there's only Australia-New Zealand and South Africa who could host it," Vaughan told Stuff.co.nz. "Obviously, players need to be safe, but we cannot run away when a threat is made. By tightening the security measures around the teams we somehow have to make it safe otherwise the sport will struggle to survive if we cannot find a solution.

"We've got to find a way to make this work because Asia is the heartbeat of cricket in the present day."

Vaughan said that assessing security for the India tour would also be critical. "India is so important and you cannot envisage a scenario when you cannot tour India - it's not worth thinking about," he said. "The host's security plans are vital. I'd go anywhere in the world if there was the right security plan. I'd go to Iraq, if the right security was in place."

However, Haroon Lorgat, the ICC chief executive, assured that major cricket nations would work in unison to ensure the World Cup did not fall prey to terrorism. "The World Cup is the big piece of work that we have to deliver - and we intend to do so," Lorgat told the Guardian. "The whole issue of security is dynamic, but we will assess it very carefully and implement whatever measures are necessary to ensure safety and security. I do not share the same concerns for India as Pakistan.

"We have established a quality network of security managers at each of the full member boards and through that we can develop a far better co-ordinated approach to safety and security."

Security fears regarding the upcoming IPL have intensified after the 313 Brigade, Al-Qaeda's operational arm in Pakistan, issued a warning to "the international community" not to send its representatives to major sports events being staged in India.

While Tim May, the chief executive of FICA, the international players' union, has warned of a spate of player withdrawals from the tournament due to security concerns, England team's security adviser Reg Dickason said the threat from the 313 Brigade was credible and that security could not be guaranteed in India.

Other reported threats targeting the Commonwealth Games and the Hockey World Cup, both due to be hosted in India this year, have worsened the situation. Earlier, the Shiv Sena, a right-wing regional political party, had claimed it would not allow Australian cricketers to participate in the competition as a protest against attacks on Indian students in Australia.

The 2011 World Cup is scheduled to be played in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh from February 19-April 2 after Pakistan was ruled out as a co-host following a terrorist attack on touring Sri Lankan players in Lahore in March last year.

ICC unhappy with facilities in Bangalore

Cricinfo staff

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	Bangalore's Chinnaswamy Stadium has come in for flak © Getty Images Enlarge

The ICC has written to the Indian board expressing concerns over the facilities at Bangalore's Chinnaswamy Stadium, one of the eight venues for the 2011 World Cup. Andy Atkinson, the ICC pitch consultant, has reportedly suggested several changes that need to be undertaken ahead of the tournament that starts in 11 months.

"The quality of the outfield was bumpy with small bare patches and divots all around and below the expected standard for international cricket," read a notice given to the Karnataka State Cricket Association, which hosts the venue. "Grass appeared lacking in nutrients and unanticipated amount of weeds present. It is noticeable that the playing surface needs renovation and repair to bring it up to the required condition. Overall, the condition of playing surface is disappointing."

Speaking to the daily DNA, Brijesh Patel, the KSCA secretary, said: "The ICC team came at the end of last season [December] and the pitch was totally worn out. We are aware of the kind of wickets that are required for ODIs, Tests and Twenty20s."

The Indian board's chief administrative officer, Ratnakar Shetty, was confident the KSCA would address the ICC's concerns. "What they [ICC] have expressed are just a few cautions. We're definitely following it up with all eight associations and I am sure after the IPL, Bangalore will be devoting time to develop the outfield and the pitch," he said.

This season's Ranji Trophy quarter-final between Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh was shifted to Mysore after Rahul Dravid expressed concerns over the pitch and outfield, and later the final was also held at the Gangothri Glades owing to the flatness of the Chinnaswamy surface.

ICC happy with state of progress of Sri Lanka venues

Sa'adi Thawfeeq

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	A lot of work has already been completed at the Pallekele Stadium © ESPNcricinfo Ltd Enlarge

The ICC is happy with the progress made at the three Sri Lankan venues for the ICC World Cup in 2011, since its previous inspection in December. Sri Lanka is set to host 12 World Cup matches in Colombo (R Premadasa Stadium), Pallekele and Hambantota.

"When we came here for the first visit in December, Sri Lanka Cricket gave us deadlines for the construction. We went to the venues yesterday (Friday) and it was very heartening to see that they were ahead of the times they had given us. I don't see any issues at all with any of the facilities in Sri Lanka," said Dhiraj Malhotra, the ICC World Cup coordinator.

"Yesterday was really an eye opener to see how much they've progressed. Realistically we weren't expecting them to progress the way they have, that was very heartening for us. Everything else looks like as scheduled and everything is in place," Malhotra said.

Pallakele has already hosted an Under-19 match, during the tri-series in late 2009, and hence the ICC delegation - comprising Malhotra, Andy Atkinson the ICC pitch consultant, and Eugene van Vuuren the ICC structural engineer - concentrated their energies on the work in progress at the other two venues. Hambantota passed the scrutiny with flying colours.

"Pallekele was already under control it was really Hambantota because when we went there in December we were only given plans. We wanted to see if they were up to the given plans or not. They achieved more than what they promised," said Malhotra.

Atkinson was happy with the status of the pitch, but noted that it still had some way to go before it could be deemed match-fit. "The square is looking very nice but there is still a little progress to do. It's still a very young square and I've advised them not to play there for a couple of more months to allow the grass to settle and for the soil to get compact, the roots and everything so that when they start playing they won't make any damage to the square."

Atkinson was however a little concerned that the R Premadasa Stadium was running behind schedule. "The only thing that concerns me slightly is the R Premadasa Stadium because they are basically doing the work and haven't completed anything yet on the field of play. We are a little bit behind schedule. In Hambantota and in Pallakele where they are basically playing cricket that's not an issue."

The delegation is set to make another inspection in May to assess the situation. "We'll keep monitoring Hambantota and R Premadasa Stadium till a certain time. When we come again in May we will have a clearer picture whether it will meet the deadline of October 31. As per current work it looks like it will," Atkinson said.