Swine flu scare for Australian cricketers

Northampton:

Ricky Ponting and his teammates suffered some tense moments after it was discovered that one of the Australian reporters, staying in the same London hotel, might have been suffering from swine flu.

News Limited reporter Ben Dorries fell ill during the second Ashes Test in Lord's and a doctor suggested that he might be suffering from swine flu.

Accordingly, the journalist has been asked to stay away from the players and stay put in London, while the cricketers reached here for their tour match against Northamptonshire.

"Australian team medical staff have asked that Ben quarantine himself away from the Australian team and other cricketing media for the next three days," Cricket Australia said in a statement.

"These measures are being taken as a precautionary step.

There is no indication that anybody associated with the Australian team has the same symptoms," it assured.