The Hindu : Sport : Opening match called off owing to rain, to be played today

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Aug 15, 2006

Sport

Sport

Opening match called off owing to rain, to be played today

S. Dinakar

KEEPING A CLOSE VIGIL: Security has been beefed up at the Taj Samudra, where the Indian and Sri Lankan teams are camping.

Colombo: Not a single ball was bowled in the inaugural match of the Unitech tri-series between Sri Lanka and South Africa, but it was a hectic Monday for the organisers and the visiting team officials in the Sri Lankan capital.

The bomb blast at the Kollupitiya area in Colombo 3 at 1.15 p.m. put a question mark over the conduct of the competition. The site of the tragedy is around three kilometres from the team hotel.

The scene of the explosion, that left seven dead, is just yards away from the popular Liberty Plaza shipping mall.

Teams heading for the Singhalese Sports Club (SSC) ground — where the cancelled Indian practice session was scheduled in the afternoon — travel through this part of the city.

Following urgent meetings and consultations between the home Board CEO, Duleep Mendis, and the managers of India, Sri Lanka and South Africa, it was decided that the tournament would continue.

``One-off incident''

Mendis said, ``the tournament will go on. We will do everything possible to protect the players. This was a one-off incident. The teams have been reassured.''

The Indian camp appeared satisfied with the Lankan response, however, the South African manager, Goolam Rajah, did not seem entirely convinced. ``We are concerned but not overly worried. But the bottom line is that nobody can give you complete guarantee regarding security. I am interacting with my Board on a regular basis.''

A clearer picture would emerge after a 10 a.m. meeting between Mendis and the team managements on Tuesday.

Predictably, the security around the team hotel has been tightened. As it is, this is a heavily protected area. The Sri Lankan military headquarters is situated next to Taj Samudra, where the Indian team is staying.

The South Africans are put up in a hotel a kilometre away.

There are various military checkpoints in this area. Much of the security is invisible too with several special task policemen in plain clothes. The teams are in constant touch with their respective Boards. Indian team manager Sanjay Jagdale also met a representative of the Indian High Commission late afternoon.

Mr. Jagdale said, ``the Indian team has been asked to follow the guidelines it had received from the High Commission after arrival. But there is nothing alarming. We have been assured of maximum security from the Lankan side. The situation was reviewed and the tour would continue.''

Advice

The Indians have been advised not to venture out to crowded places. Said Indian team media manager Rajan Nair. ``Apart from travelling as a team, if some members wanted to go out on their own, then they needed to inform the security personnel, who would provide them with adequate protection."

Team India's practice session at 2.30 p.m. was cancelled because of persistent rain. ``This had nothing to do with the blast. In fact, we decided to do away with it earlier in the day because of the weather,'' said Mr. Jagdale.

The players had a quiet day at the hotel. The Indian cricketers were not willing to comment on the incident, but a few of them, who trotted around the hotel, appeared in good spirits.

The City police is on high alert; vehicles are being searched at various points. The Inspector General of Police, Colombo, Chandra Fernando told presspersons that the security had been increased. ``There is nothing to worry about,'' he said.

Umipre Billy Bowden was not short of a comment either. ``I would like to wait and watch, just as I do as an umpire,'' he said with a typical smile. More showers have been forecast for Tuesday, but has the tournament run into rough weather for reasons other than monsoon showers?

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