STRAUSS: I WON’T MAKE PLAYERS TOUR
ENGLAND’S cricketers are yet to commit to the tour of Bangladesh, despite assurances from the ECB’s security adviser Reg Dickason.
Dickason spent an hour on Thursday evening outlining to the players and coaching staff his confidence in the security put in place by the Bangladesh government, with the squad due to arrive on September 30.
But wicketkeeper Jos Buttler refused to confirm he would make the trip, and it is understood his reticence is shared by many within the dressing room.
The players still have questions they want answered before they make up their minds.
More than 20 people were killed during an attack on a bakery in Dhaka at the start of July — for whichch ISIS later claimed responsibility — while ile Foreign Officee advice refers to ‘ a heightened threat of further terrorist attacks’.
Even so, England’s managing director Andrew w Strauss insisted ed the only reason the tour would not proceedroceed was if Bangladesh suffered another terrorist incident between now and the start of the trip.
But, referring to Thursday’s meeting, he admitted: ‘At no stage did we ask any players whether they were going to make themselves available.
‘We’re not at that stage yet. This was about sharing infor- mation. We can’t force anyone to go on any tour, and nor would we want to. Our job is to assureassur them that security situation is safe. AndAn if they have thoseth assurances, there’st no other reasonr to pull out ofo the tour.’ Strauss is hopefulf the players can reach a unanimous decision, and saidsa he would schedulesch a series of meetingsmeet involving himhim, ththe cricketers and Dickason before selection, which takes place after the Twenty20 international against Pakistan on September 7. But the very existence of those meetings reveals the work the ECB faces if they are to arrive in Bangladesh with their strongest possible squad. And, with Test captain Alastair Cook already a doubt because of the impending birth of his second child, the size of their task was summed up by the response of Buttler.
‘It was a positive meeting, but all you can say is it’s something you have to digest,’ he said. ‘It’s tricky for us at the moment. We’ve got a game here and international cricket needs your full focus.
‘It might be down to the individual. People will react differently — it’s quite emotive. It’s really important you know that you’re not pressured by your mates or throwaway comments.
‘Some guys in the meeting, like Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook, were part of the team that went back to India (in 2008-09), so they probably know how to deal with it. But it’s new ground for some people and it’s important we try to deal with it the best we can.’
Asked if he would commit to the tour, Buttler replied: ‘I’ve said plenty, thanks.’
Meanwhile, the ECB are encouraging any England fans planning to follow the tour to make their own arrangements after it emerged that the board would be unable to guarantee their safety.
Strauss said: ‘It’s worth saying that our decision to press ahead is based on the security plans put in place for the players and the management. That’s all we can control. Any supporters who are considering going out there should make their own arrangements, and in particular refer to the Foreign Office advice.’
That advice includes a warning that ‘crowded areas and places where westerners are known to gather may be at higher risk of attack,’ though security at the matches is expected to be watertight.