loopy 0 Posted May 8, 2002 Saw this on network 9 this morning. Pretty sad really that Pakistan are more concerned about the state of the cricket than the actual bombing. AFP - Pakistani cricket is in turmoil as New Zealand's players left for the airport under police and para-military escort after a terrorist attack cut short their tour. The Kiwis headed home within hours of a suicide car bomb attack which killed 14 people - 11 of them French - outside their hotel in this southern port city. Despairing Pakistani cricket officials faced the possibility that they could be forced to play all their cricket away from home for the forseeable future. Their international tour schedules have already been disrupted by terrorism, and even as the officials expressed their disgust at the bombing Australia began reviewing its plans to tour later in the year. "We are disgusted because this leaves us in an embarrassing position," Pakistan Cricket board director Brigadier Munawar Rana told a press conference. "We provided the New Zealand team with best security but this was beyond our control and is very sad." Rana later told AFP: "I would request the cricket world to allow us some time and allow the dust to settle down and let us regroup and host positive cricket. "We are devastated with these events and realise that teams touring to Pakistan would definitely rethink before coming but they must take into account that we gave New Zealand the best security." The New Zealand and Pakistani players were preparing to leave their hotel for the first day of the second and final Test at the National Stadium here when the car bomb blasted a minibus outside the nearby Sheraton Hotel. The blast smashed windows at the Pearl Continental where the two teams were staying. None of the cricketers was injured but New Zealand physiotherapist, Dayle Shackel, received a minor cut to his forearm from flying glass. Match referee Mike Procter of South Africa said the Karachi Test was cancelled after a unanimous decision. "I feel really very sorry for Pakistan cricket and millions of cricket fans here," Procter said. It was the second time terrorism had affected the tour. New Zealand was originally due here last year, but the series was postponed after the September 11 attacks in the United States and the retaliatory war in neighbouring Afghanistan. "It's too early to say that other teams will stay away from touring Pakistan but we need to do all-out efforts and we know it will be tough," Rana said. Australian Cricket Board chief executive James Sutherland said in Sydney that plans for Australia to tour from August would be reviewed. "With some months to go before we travel to Pakistan the situation is clearly quite fluid," he said. "The safety of our players and team management is the ACB's highest priority. There is a thorough process in place to ensure we have accurate and timely information as to what is happening in any region that the Australian team visits Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ran 0 Posted May 8, 2002 14 peoples dead and ..... they talk about their cricket tournament ?? THIS IS WHAT DISGUST ME Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
IceFire 0 Posted May 8, 2002 That is surprising that they are just concerned about their cricket game. It's like a golfer getting mad about some terrorist bombing nearby because it ruined his golf swing! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wobble 1 Posted May 8, 2002 yar, some fucked up priorites they be Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Antichrist 0 Posted May 9, 2002 Shit!!!!!! I should definitely buy a TV!! I live in NZ and didn't hear anything about it!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tex -USMC- 0 Posted May 9, 2002 Theres a cricket tourney on AND THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT A CAR BOMBING!?!?!? lol just kidding Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
