England team arrives home, decision to return India by Monday

Prasun Sonwalkar

London, Nov 30 (PTI) The England team, which arrived here
late Saturday night, will know by Monday whether to return to
India to play the two-match Test series, England and Wales
Cricket Board (ECB) Managing Director Hugh Morris said.

Speaking to newspersons at the Heathrow airport after the
team's arrival, Morris said a security risk assessment report
of returning to India will be available within 48 hours and a
decision will be made after that.

The report will be prepared with inputs from team
security consultant Reg Dickason, talks with the Board of
Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the British Foreign
and Commonwealth Office.

Morris reiterated that if the team's safety was
guaranteed, it would return for the two Tests in Ahmedabad
(December 11-15) and Chennai (December 19-23).

"We have come back to assess the safety and security
situation in India. We have a team of people that we rely on
for our safety and security information. They're pulling that
information together over the next 24 to 48 hours and,
clearly, we'll assess that information when we have it.

"Clearly, we are committed to going back and playing in a
Test series if it is safe to do so," he said.

"Would I go back? If it was safe and secure, absolutely."

Morris, however, said no player would be forced to return
against their will.

"I do not think we would force anybody to do anything. I
would not, if somebody felt strongly, force their arm. They
would have the necessary information to make an informed
decision but that would be a personal choice."

"We have to give them the most up-to-date security
information and then clearly it will be a decision for the
players to make," Morris said.

"Everybody has been affected by the terrible goings-on in
Mumbai. It has affected the players as much as everybody.
There's a degree of nervousness, there's no doubt about that.
That's only natural. It's affected everybody."

He acknowledged that the team had a "very short
timescale" to work with, with the first Test due to be played
in Ahmedabad from December 11 but said once the green signal
is given by security experts the team will have to return
soon.

"The first Test match starts on December 11 and clearly
it is a very short time scale but assuming the safety and
security is OK, we would be returning in a short time. PTI
PMR