ECB says Test series has not been cancelled

Bhubaneshwar, Nov 27 (IANS) The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is waiting for a report from their security advisers before deciding on the fate of the two-Test series in India next month.

ECB managing director Hugh Morris confirmed here Thursday that they have not cancelled the Test series. ' We have not requested for the cancellation of Test series.'

The England team management held a meeting with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Thursday where it was agreed to call off the remaining two one-dayers following Mumbai terror strikes.

Morris said: 'We do not want to compromise with the safety of our players. I spoke to BCCI secretary N. Srinivasan this morning. The Test series is in place. We asked him to consider cancellation of our flight to Guwahati and also if we can stay here for another 24 hours.

'We are obviously taking security advice from a number of sources and are looking at various options.

'We are taking advice from the BCCI, British High Commission and various security sources in India' he said.

Srinivasan said the board has agreed to cancel the last two one-dayers in Guwahati (Saturday) and Delhi (Tuesday).

'We expect them to play the Test matches,' he said.

The second Test is scheduled in Mumbai from Dec 16. The England team stayed at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, one of the centres of the terrorist attack, just two weeks ago and were due to return there prior to the Test.

'On behalf of the ECB and the England team, we would like to express our condolences to the families and friends of those killed or injured in last night's attacks,' Morris said.