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Broad hails England's decision to tour India
ICC match referee Chris Broad on Monday hailed England's decision to tour India, saying resuming the series was important for world cricket.
- Press Trust of India
- Updated: December 08, 2008 10:36 AM IST
Read Time:2 min
London:
"I think it's a terrific decision for cricket in general," said Broad, whose son Stuart, is also a member of the squad.
The former England player said it was not an easy decision by the players but in the end, they did the right thing by agreeing to play the two-match Test series in India.
"Obviously it's a tough one for the England players to have made, and the Indian players, of course, because they are also under some kind of threat, but I think it's a terrific decision," Broad told BBC Radio Five Live.
"I think this tour is important for world cricket," he added.
The recent Mumbai terror attacks had cast a shadow of doubt on the Test tour with the England team, which had gone home after abandoning the last two ODIs, needing a lot of persuasion and security assurances before agreeing to return to India.
Broad said more than the monetary issue, India could not be left isolated.
"Over 70 per cent of funds for international cricket come from the Indian sub-continent, so clearly there is a monetary issue there, but it's huge for the game of cricket that India is not isolated," he said.
Now that security adviser Reg Dickason had given a thumbs-up to the security arrangements, Broad said the cricketers can take confidence from that.
"They have to have great strength in what the security advice was that they received from Hugh Morris (ECB managing director) and take that on board.
"I think it wouldn't be given unless is it was almost a guarantee that there wasn't going to be anything. So I think they can focus solely on playing cricket now," he said.
The former player, however, rued the fact that these days freaking out is just a no-no in the growingly volatile sub-continent.
"Certainly when I was touring you were allowed to go out of hotels and see some of the country, that was the beauty of touring.
"I think in the sub-continent now, that sort of touring is in the past, and it's a huge shame. But it's a fact of life and players are just going to have to get used to the fact that they will be cocooned in their hotel with security," he said.
Former Test player and now an ICC match referee Chris Broad on Monday hailed England's decision to tour India, saying resuming the series was important for world cricket."I think it's a terrific decision for cricket in general," said Broad, whose son Stuart, is also a member of the squad.
The former England player said it was not an easy decision by the players but in the end, they did the right thing by agreeing to play the two-match Test series in India.
"Obviously it's a tough one for the England players to have made, and the Indian players, of course, because they are also under some kind of threat, but I think it's a terrific decision," Broad told BBC Radio Five Live.
"I think this tour is important for world cricket," he added.
The recent Mumbai terror attacks had cast a shadow of doubt on the Test tour with the England team, which had gone home after abandoning the last two ODIs, needing a lot of persuasion and security assurances before agreeing to return to India.
Broad said more than the monetary issue, India could not be left isolated.
"Over 70 per cent of funds for international cricket come from the Indian sub-continent, so clearly there is a monetary issue there, but it's huge for the game of cricket that India is not isolated," he said.
Now that security adviser Reg Dickason had given a thumbs-up to the security arrangements, Broad said the cricketers can take confidence from that.
"They have to have great strength in what the security advice was that they received from Hugh Morris (ECB managing director) and take that on board.
"I think it wouldn't be given unless is it was almost a guarantee that there wasn't going to be anything. So I think they can focus solely on playing cricket now," he said.
The former player, however, rued the fact that these days freaking out is just a no-no in the growingly volatile sub-continent.
"Certainly when I was touring you were allowed to go out of hotels and see some of the country, that was the beauty of touring.
"I think in the sub-continent now, that sort of touring is in the past, and it's a huge shame. But it's a fact of life and players are just going to have to get used to the fact that they will be cocooned in their hotel with security," he said.
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