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A quick look back at this Test match, with neutral eyes, would tell thecomplete story. One team was totally prepared for the fray, the other shouldnot have even bothered to turn up, since they did not compete. To be honest,Australia probably won this 1st test while the West Indies were still ontheir way to Australia, or even by in the Caribbean. Some explanations aredue. These are not excuses, mind you, but real hard facts. Also, Australiaare not responsible for West Indies cricket.Australia have not played a Test match since March/April, against New Zealandearlier this year. The West Indies not only played against England in theEnglish summer, but even before that, managed to just beat Pakistan at home,via some very dubious decisions, and Zimbabwe too. While Australia did playsome out of season cricket, one day games, at the Colonial Stadium againstSouth Africa in August this year, that was actually very ideal, since itwould have brought their minds back gradually to the task at hand inNovember, when they would be making their assault on the West Indies’ recordof 11 Test wins in succession.In the meantime, after the West Indies returned from England, they played ina one day competition in Kenya, like Australia, but then a one day regionalcompetition in Jamaica. That one day competition in Jamaica should have beenvery instrumental in telling the Caribbean powers-that-be in West Indiescricket that something was amiss. No one heeded the signs.In the Red Stripe Bowl competition just before coming to Australia, there wasonly one century by any batsman at all, over nearly three weeks of cricket.Ironically, that batsman, Junior Murray of the Windward islands, is not evenin Australia. All of the Test players competed for their respectivecountries in that competition. Additionally, in the final set of games, thesemi-finals and finals, none of the teams in “The Final Four” managed to get200 in any 50 over spell. That in itself should have been a warning that theWest Indian batsmen, who comprised most of the batsmen for that finalsegment, that they were not up to speed for a tour of Australia.Then the West Indies had a camp in Jamaica for about a week or so beforecoming to Australia. This was like water on a duck’s back. Already tired,that camp would have done little to entice the West Indian players to eitherbe up for the tour, or to enhance their abilities, already drained from thelast year. Like Australia, they needed pure rest. Unlike Australia, theycould not get it.To add fuel to that fire, if you will, the team’s normal psychologist, Dr.Rudi Webster, was nowhere to be seen. His last assignment was ended just asthe West Indies were losing that tortuous Test match at Lords which turnedaround the team’s English summer after they had beaten England in the 1stTest. The West Indies cricket team has not been good for some time, as SirGary Sobers suggested, but being beaten by England was exactly the laststraw. The team has not been itself since Lords, in June last.Rather weirdly, Dr. Webster is being used at home for the West Indies cricketteam, but not away, fully, where the team has been struggling for the lastseveral years overseas. If anyone could explain that to me, then they couldhave my lost fortunes too. Australia, on the other hand, tries to use theiron-call psychologists as often as they require them. The case of Mark Waugh,with the match-fixing situation, is a case in point.With that kind of preparation, the West Indies were on a tight tether, onlywaiting to explode. Unluckily for them, the Australians knew this too. TheWest Indies were simply not ready at all for the fray. Steve Waugh and hisguys knew that and worked at making it even more difficult for the WestIndies to effect any elasticity and come-back. In a word, the West Indieswere beaten before this first Test started.In 1996, Perth was used for the last Test match. In this tour, pointedly,the West Indies will be struggling there next week to avert anotherhumiliation, via Glen McGrath and Brett Lee. That is not incidental.Australia knows that the West Indies are cannon fodder now, and are using it,as they should, to their advantage. Notice that the best batting pitches,Adelaide and Sydney, will only be used after Australia had calculated thatthey will have broken the record, just in case Brian Lara and co get going.The West Indies batsmen are all in need of rest and some specialpsychological help too. The body language of especially the senior batsmen,and this is even going down to the newer ones too; Ramnaresh Sarwan has losthis way, his confidence and his bounce too; speaks volumes. Notice that theWest Indies bowlers have tried to even things out. Not only are theyhearing, but, seemingly, they are listening. In the meantime, Jimmy Adams,Brian Lara, even Shiv Chanderpaul, at least in the 1st innings, SherwinCampbell, Darren Ganga and Ramnaresh Sarwan seemed somewhat misplacedcollectively.Steve Waugh was brilliant as a captain in this game. His move to bring onStuart MacGill as the first change in the 1st innings was a master stroke,since all expected it to be an all out war with fast bowlers. MacGill dulyrepaid his captain’s cunning and confidence with the prized, almostinvaluable wicket of Sherwin Campbell, probably just less so than that ofLara. Campbell is normally the pebble, as opposed to the rock, that the WestIndies try to build their innings on.When Lara strode to the crease, the psychological trap was already set, asMcGrath had been on a rest break for over a half an hour, ready for theeffort once more. He too did not disappoint. Lara duly edged McGrath’sfirst delivery to him, the batsman badly out of place in foot movement, tothe ‘keeper. That, for all intents and purposes of the game, was that.Waugh had outplayed the entire West Indies cricket team’s hierarchy in just afew overs of the first day. With Lara gone, removed psychologically morethan physically, the rest of the team simply could not be strong enough tocope.As Glenn McGrath, the eventual “Man of the Match” suggested after his sixwickets in the 1st innings; “I will bowl much better than I did today and getmaybe one wicket.” He too knew that, while not really lucky, he had notreally bowled as well as he could to get those wickets. They were not reallypresented to him neither. He and his captain had worked for them long beforethe game started.Perth will be another matter altogether next week. The West Indies have verylittle time to recoup. There is even talk of perhaps a psychologist for theteam being brought in. Talk about closing the door after the horse hasbolted. For the West Indies to catch up now, they will have to work at warpspeed. From very recent testimony, they do not even seem to be able to comewith the speed of Brett Lee and Glenn McGrath.

ScorecardKarl Brown scored his first century for over four years•Getty Images

Karl Brown scored his first century for over four years but Alex Davies fell five short of a maiden hundred as Lancashire’s batsmen dominated the second day of their Division Two game against Glamorgan.Lancashire amassed 462 in their first innings before being dismissed 13 overs after tea and Glamorgan were 48 for 1 off 16 overs in reply at the close of play.However, the morning session will remain memorable for Brown, who reached his first century in 96 first-class innings stretching back to April 2011 when he clipped Michael Hogan through midwicket for four. Having got to three figures off 217 balls with 13 fours, Brown went on to make 132, his highest score for Lancashire’s first team before pulling David Lloyd to Chris Cooke at midwicket five overs into the afternoon’s play.Steven Croft, who helped Brown add 132 for the fourth wicket, departed half an hour later for a 164-ball 67 when a rather wild cut off Craig Meschede only edged the ball to Mark Wallace behind the stumps.However, Lancashire’s attacking intentions were not so much maintained as intensified by Alex Davies and James Faulkner, who put on 128 for the sixth wicket in 22 overs before Faulkner’s pull-drive off Meschede found the safe hands of Lloyd at long on when he had made 63 off 70 balls.That dismissal began a period of less than seven overs in which Lancashire lost their last five wickets for 27 runs, the chief beneficiary of the home side’s brief and cheerful slog being Meschede, who finished the innings with four for 101. Part-time legspinner Colin Ingram also enjoyed himself, picking up the wickets of Davies and Arron Lilley in a 3.1 over spell.The departure of Davies occurred when, having made 95 off 104 balls with 11 fours and two sixes, the 20-year-old came down the wicket to the slow bowler but only skied the ball to Wagg running round to cover from point.The successes of Meschede and Ingram were hard on Michael Hogan, who had battled against a groin strain to bowl 30 good but wicketless overs, and they were particularly tough on Graham Wagg, whose figures of 2 for 82 off 30 overs did him no justice whatsoever. However, it was not a particularly good day for Glamorgan’s fielders, at least four catches going down on a day when the bowlers both needed and deserved more support.In the 16 overs of Glamorgan’s first innings, Jacques Rudolph and Will Bragg added 40 for the first wicket before Bragg was leg before to off-spinner Lilley’s second ball for 27, umpire Rob Bailey judging that the ball had straightened sufficiently to beat the left-hander’s forward push.At the close Rudolph was 18 not out and nightwatchman Andrew Salter was unbeaten on a single. By that stage the spinners, Lilley and Simon Kerrigan, were bowling in tandem, a combination the Old Trafford spectators may have further opportunities to observe over the final two days of this game.

Match facts

Thursday, July 30-Aug 3Start time 9.30 am local (0330 GMT)3:16

Nafees: Time for Bangladesh to set a benchmark in Test cricket

Big picture

South Africa have not lost an away Test series since 2006, and they have always won in Bangladesh. The home side, however, will hope to build on the advantage they wrested during the Chittagong draw to end the recent string of successful results at home with another unprecedented outcome.The history between these two sides has been overwhelmingly one-sided in South Africa’s favour, but the Chittagong Test – though marred by rain – was different. Having picked four bowlers instead of the usual three, Mushfiqur Rahim’s side dismissed South Africa for only the second time in their bilateral contests. It was the first drawn Test after eight massive defeats for Bangladesh.Mohammad Shahid, Jubair Hossain and Mustafizur Rahman bowled impressively before Tamim Iqbal, Mahmudullah, Liton Das and Shakib Al Hasan batted well enough to take a first-innings lead. Rain washed out the last two days of play but Bangladesh had done just enough to claim dominance.That there were a number of performers apart from the usual ones was an encouragement for Bangladesh. For example, Shahid’s string of 50 dot balls had a huge impact on slowing South Africa down after they cruised the first session of the Test. Liton too impressed by batting solidly on the third day.South Africa’s concerns will be their batsmen not staying long enough and also Quinton de Kock’s form. The SG ball softening up quicker has worried Morne Morkel but their group is perhaps the best bowling attack in the world and is expected to bounce back.The weather is also a problem. Plenty of rain is forecast, but unlike in Chittagong, entire days are unlikely to be lost in Mirpur. There will be plenty of interruptions, though, which will be frustrating for the players.

Form guide

Bangladesh DDLDWSouth Africa DWDWW

Players to watch

Tamim Iqbal batted for nearly four hours to make 57 off 129 balls and then got out to part-time spinner Dean Elgar. His innings was of immense value to Bangladesh and he said he would like to bat longer next time.Dale Steyn was made to wait for wickets in the first Test but now he is one away from 400. It will be a momentous occasion for the best fast bowler of his generation.

Team news

Soumya Sarkar’s exclusion from the first Test was a surprise but after Bangladesh’s impressive performance in Chittagong, it will be hard to include him in Mirpur. Nasir Hossain and Rubel Hossain could also find themselves on the bench if there are no last-minute injuries.Bangladesh (possible): 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Imrul Kayes, 3 Mominul Haque, 4 Mushfiqur Rahim (capt), 5 Shakib Al Hasan , 6 Mahmudullah, 7 Litton Das (wk), 8 Taijul Islam, 9 Jubair Hossain, 10 Mohammad Shahid, 11 Mustafizur RahmanOf the three South Africa batsmen to play all six games on tour, Quinton de Kock averages the lowest. Dane Vilas will replace him in Mirpur, and will play his first Test for South Africa.South Africa (possible): 1 Stiaan van Zyl, 2 Dean Elgar, 3 Faf du Plessis, 4 Hashim Amla (capt), 5 JP Duminy, 6 Temba Bavuma, 7 Dane Vilas (wk), 8 Vernon Philander, 9 Simon Harmer, 10 Dale Steyn, 11 Morne Morkel

Pitch and conditions

The Mirpur pitch will offer more bounce and a bit more pace than the one in Chittagong. The fact that it has been mostly under covers in the week leading up to the second Test will also play a role in how it behaves. The forecast is for more of the same: rain and more rain.

Stats and trivia

• Steyn is one wicket away from becoming the second South African – and the 13th overall – to take 400 Test wickets.
• Shakib Al Hasan is three wickets away from becoming the 17th player to take 150 wickets and score more than 2500 runs in Tests.

Quotes

​”Our challenge will be to stop their pace attack. We did well in the last game, which gives us confidence. We will try to cross the pace hurdle.”

The grand final between the two teams commenced amidst a packed house. The spectators must have enjoyed every minute of the game, but the result was one sided. Though it was unusual for Pakistan to surrender, they did so today.Bating first South Africa did not have a promising start losing 2 wickets for only 29 runs on the board. Gary Kirsten and Nicky Boje later succeeded in picking up the score and raising it to 70 in 15 overs, when the game was suspended on account of rain.On resumption the match was reduced to 35 overs each, thus prompting the players to score fast. As a result 40 runs were added in 5 overs. The rate of scoring going up created lot of excitement for the spectators. South Africa lost 3 wickets for 126 with Gary Kirsten having scored a marvelous 62 and Nicky Boje hoisting 50 in 36 deliveries.With full consideration of the reduced innings South Africa was trying to score the maximum runs. The batsmen at the crease were hitting all over the ground with a grand exhibition of slogging too. Pakistan’s poor fielding enabled them to pile up runs. Having survived a lot of chances, the Proteas were 152 for 6, eventually ending up the innings at 197 for 7. Daryll Cullinan remained unbeaten with a valuable contribution of 31 runs. Kabir Khan and Abdur Razzaq claimed 2 wickets each.Though the Proteas had scored 197 runs, the Umpires gave Pakistan a target of 215 runs in 35 overs to win. With a rain soaked pitch and wet atmosphere it was not an easy target.Pakistan opened with Imran Nazir and Saleem Elahi and lost the 1st wicket at 7, when Imran Nazir was out. He was followed on his trail by Yousuf Youhana rendering Pakistan to 33 for 2. Saleem Elahi who showed some courage to stay was trapped LBW for a useful 26 bringing down Pakistan to 44 for 3.All hopes now rested on the great pair of Saeed Anwar and Ijaz Ahmed but a good bowling – fielding combination of the Proteas did not let them flourish. Saeed Anwar was out after scoring a brilliant 24, while Abdur Razzaq and Azhar Mahmood followed him quick reducing Pakistan to a miserable 76 for 6.With the mountain of a target ahead, the players had lost heart and the spirit to fight. Ijaz Ahmed was the only batsman capable of pulling the team out of crisis but it was not a one man’s job. He was out after scoring a valuable 31 rendering Pakistan to 102 for 7. Rest was the matter of time. With no intentions to fight, the whole team was out for 121 runs in 28 overs.South Africa thus defeated Pakistan by 93 runs to win the Trophy. For his excellent all round performance Nicky Boje was declared Man of the Match.It was a very poor display of cricket by Pakistan. The players some how, did not have their heart in the game. Contrary to their previous performance they lacked the fighting spirit. South Africa certainly deserved to win. They gave a masterly performance to cause Pakistan’s demolition in less than the lesser quota of overs. Well done Proteas.

Zaheer Khan termed the faith reposed in him by teams at the IPL auction “amazing,” despite being sidelined from international cricket for a year. Zaheer last played a competitive fixture in May 2014, in the IPL, before he was ruled out by a tendon injury in his bowling arm.After going unsold the first time his name came up in the auction, there was frenetic bidding between Delhi Daredevils and Mumbai Indians in the second round, and Zaheer was eventually picked up by Daredevils for a whopping Rs 4 crore ($660,000), making him the fourth-highest earner in the auction.”It was amazing that two teams showed such faith in me,” Zaheer told ESPNcricinfo. “Frankly, I was a bit concerned about how people would look at me, as I was completely out of the game for a long time. It [being picked] is an added responsibility on me.”Zaheer said it was easier for him to pick the T20 format over first-class cricket, having been away from the field for so long. “The reason I stayed away from Ranji Trophy this season was because of the workload,” he said. “[Playing the longer format] was still seven-eight weeks away. [But] I knew I could bowl four overs, and contribute in other ways in an IPL team by helping out younger bowlers. I don’t want my last memory to be one of walking off the field injured.”Zaheer also said he knew Mumbai would bid for him. “Obviously I was a part of Mumbai Indians, and I have been in touch with their management during my injury. They knew my status, and they really wanted me to be there. Surely it wasn’t a surprise that they went for me.”Playing under Gary Kirsten and TA Sekhar in the Daredevils set-up, Zaheer said, was something he was looking forward to. “Gary has seen me for a long time, and so has Mr. Sekhar. It will be great to work with them,” he said.Zaheer was first ruled out of IPL 2014 with a muscle strain, his left latissimus dorsi muscle, after which he said he was unlikely to be fit for the Champions League T20 in September. The long lay-off has helped Zaheer get up to date with some of his other interests.”Injuries do bring something. I started this new venture called ProSport which is mainly an injuries and rehabilitation centre,” he said. “This injury was very different. I was aiming to play CLT20, but I got injured in May. It was very frustrating to be injured with the World Cup around the corner. I was hoping to do the right things, but my body was not responding. You got to listen to your body. If you are not ready, you are not ready.”Zaheer, however, is not inclined to stop playing the longer formats. “I just basically want to start playing again. Things are looking good, and hopefully they will stay that way.”

BRISBANE, Nov 24 AAP – Western Australia is firmly in control after a roller coaster ride of a day in the Pura Cup clash against Queensland at the Gabba.A total of 15 wickets fell during the first day of play with Queensland on 5-106 at stumps, chasing Western Australia’s total of 228.The Warriors lost their last six wickets for just 30 runs as momentum swung like a pendulum throughout the day.The Warriors started on the front foot when captain Mike Hussey called correctly and elected to bat on a wicket that promised plenty of bounce and some sideways movement.Hussey and opening partner Chris Rogers preceded to dispatch the Queensland attack to all parts of the Gabba as they put on 59 for the opening stand, bringing up the team’s half century in 44 minutes off just 11 overs.Hussey smashed Bulls quick Michael Kasprowicz for four boundaries in one over, but the former test pacemen had the last laugh when he had Hussey caught behind for 33.Queensland stemmed the flow of runs following Hussey’s dismissal with Joe Dawes bowling five consecutive maidens to bring the Bulls back into the game. He was rewarded with the wicket of Rogers who dragged the ball onto his stumps.The game was then delicately poised with the Warriors at 3-102 at the break.The second session belonged to the home side with the Bulls claiming seven wickets.The only bright note for the Warriors was an 82-run partnership between Murray Goodwin and Ryan Campbell who took the score from 116 to 198.Goodwin’s departure triggered the major batting collapse which saw the Warriors all out before the tea break.Dawes and Lee Carseldine claimed three wickets apiece with Ashley Noffke and Michael Kasprowicz claiming two each with Ryan Campbell top scoring for the visitors with a quickfire 62.Queensland looked to be in the drivers seat but they were soon in trouble when captain Jimmy Maher was run out for 13 attempting a quick single.It went from bad to worse for the Bulls with both Martin Love and Stuart Law going out for second ball ducks in the same over.Queensland duo Andrew Symonds and Brendan Nash fought a rearguard action compiling a 51-run partnership.But both batsmen were dismissed in quick succession late in the day to leave the Bulls struggling for 5-72.Lee Carseldine and Wade Seccombe guided the Bulls to stumps still 123 runs short of their target with only the tail to come.Western Australian captain Hussey said the pitch was not to blame for the avalanche of wickets.”I thought it was a really good cricket wicket the ball came onto the bast nicely. We were disappointed to only get 228 but we knew if we worked hard we could put the bulls under pressure,” Hussey said.”To get Maher, Love and Law cheaply really helps but there are no slouches in the Queensland tail so we will have to work very hard.”

Two weeks after the ECB announced the US$5 million Champions League Twenty20 tournament, England are in danger of not being part of the event with the BCCI officially deciding on Sunday to bar players associated with the unauthorised Indian Cricket League (ICL).Niranjan Shah, the BCCI secretary, told Cricinfo Pakistan had been asked to join the tournament after the Indian board found it would not be possible to invite English counties due to the ECB’s “policy of letting ICL players play in their leagues”. The IPL – a part of the Indian board – is the driving force behind the Champions League while the rules for the tournament are currently being framed by Cricket Australia.IS Bindra, a member of the IPL’s governing council, told Cricinfo that “as of now, three [participating] countries are confirmed – India, South Africa and Australia”. “Pakistan may be the fourth, but first we have to get a response from the ECB on the ICL issue,” Bindra said. “Teams from England can be considered, but only those who don’t have players associated with the ICL.”The BCCI is very clear that ICL players will not be featured in the tournament. If the ECB can’t guarantee that it will clear only teams without ICL players for the tournament, then we will look at the replacement.”The BCCI has barred all official links with players associated with the ICL, which was launched last year before the BCCI’s high-profile IPL, but there are currently around 25 players connected with the ICL playing for 15 of the 18 English counties.Bindra, who is also the ICC’s principal advisor, said the decision to ask the ECB to ensure teams without ICL links for the Champions League was taken at a meeting of the BCCI in New Delhi on Sunday. “We will get a final picture when the issue is discussed during the ICC’s annual conference in Dubai this month-end.”Other BCCI officials told Cricinfo they don’t expect the ECB to provide a “no-ICL guarantee” and suggested that English teams are virtually out of the tournament. The ECB allowed players associated with the ICL to play in their domestic circuit after it faced legal action from the league, which was backed by the country’s strong trade laws that protects the rights of individuals. “It’s just that the BCCI would like the ECB to be seen as taking a decision on this,” an official said.Lalit Modi, the IPL chairman and commissioner, had previously told Cricinfo that teams with players associated with ICL would not be invited for the tournament “under any circumstance”, even if these players are dropped just for the event.The Champions League was announced by England in a press release on June 7 which said that the ECB, Cricket Australia, the BCCI and Cricket South Africa had “reached an agreement for the staging of the inaugural Champions League this autumn”. However, Modi later said that the announcement was premature.The tournament, to be held in September-October, will involve the top two Twenty20 domestic teams from participating nations. Western Australia and Victoria from Australia, Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings from the Indian Premier League in India along with the Dolphins and Titans from the Pro20 in South Africa have already qualified.

It is not often that a man who has scored 195 in a Test match complains that he has got out, but Michael Vaughan was annoyed with himself after doing just that. He was 182 not out overnight, but added only 13 runs to that score on the second day before being caught behind off Zaheer Khan.Vaughan said: “I was disappointed to get out today because I was looking to go beyond 200. But it was decent ball. At least I didn’t get it when I was on nought.”Vaughan has enjoyed a very successful summer, joining an elite band of England players who have recorded four Test centuries in one season. He also just missed out on a double century at trent Bridge. He puts the success down to a change in attitude. “I am looking to be a lot more positive and Duncan Fletcher has been very helpful and taught me a few new tricks. I felt I could hit the ball all round the park yesterday.”Dominic Cork made a successful return to the Test side with the bat and now needs to contribute with the ball. “We have to stay consistent, get the ball in the right areas and try and take the edge," he said.Getting the ball in right areas consistently was what Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh did to become, amazingly, the first bowler in the series to take five wickets in anInnings. He believes there is still time for India to win this match, despite the England first innings total of 515.”We are pretty much back in the match, we just need to bat well tomorrow. It is now quite open, it’s only the second day and there is a lot of time left. We have batsmen in form and ideally I won’t have to bat. We have two spinners and the ball will turn more as time goes on.”

Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the Chennai Super Kings captain, has attributed the upset defeat against Bangalore Royal Challengers on Wednesday to “bad shot selection” from his batsmen.”One or two stands could have got us through to a win,” Dhoni said after the defeat. “No one took the responsibility. Couple of bad shot selections affected us today. It was a gettable total.”Chasing a low target of 127, Chennai were comfortably placed at 60 for 0 in the 10th over before a collapse left them 14 runs short of the target. Their opening partnership aside, Chennai’s second-highest stand was only 20 for the third wicket between Stephen Fleming and Suresh Raina.”We changed the batting order according to situation,” Dhoni, who promoted himself to No 3, said. “Most of them floated around. If the players had thought in the middle as much as they thought at the dressing room, we would have won.”The defeat has made Chennai’s task of securing a semi-final berth tougher. If Delhi lose all their games, Chennai can afford to go through without winning another. In case Delhi and Mumbai win one and Chennai don’t, it will be down to net run-rate. If Delhi win both games, Chennai must win one of their remaining two. Dhoni and Co can make matters easier by winning both, but their next match is against Rajasthan, the strongest side, and it may come down to the clash against the Deccan Chargers for them to ensure their spot.”We do not want to wait till the last league match [against Deccan Chargers] and are keen to make the semi-final grade against Rajasthan,” Dhoni said.Chennai’s next game is against Rajasthan on May 24 at the MA Chidambaram Staduim and their final match is against Deccan on May 27.

A spate of bomb attacks in India has caused some concern in Australia ahead of the four-Test tour in October and November 2008. Representatives from Cricket Australia and the Australian Cricketers’ Association, possibly a security consultant too, are due to leave for India on August 10 for an inspection.The concerns have emerged in the same week when players’ associations in Australia, England, New Zealand and South Africa have lambasted the ICC decision to go ahead with the Champions Trophy in Pakistan despite security concerns.Peter Young, Cricket Australia’s general manager of public affairs, was to discuss the situation with James Sutherland, the chief executive, the reported. “We have a principle which supports a consistent process of having a pre-tour inspection and assessment before every tour,” Young said.The BCCI, though, played down any talk of the tour being put off. “We don’t have to go by media reports,” Ratnakar Shetty, the BCCI chief administrative officer, told Cricinfo. “We will take a stand if it has to be taken and we don’t have to publicly announce it”Australia had postponed its tour to Pakistan earlier this year, after a series of bomb blasts rocked the country. Players such as Ricky Ponting and Andrew Symonds had expressed their concern over the visit in March-April, and have reiterated the same ahead of the team’s defence of the Champions Trophy in September.The proposed tour begins with the first Test in Bangalore on October 9. Bangalore was hit by a series of blasts on Friday, though the low intensity of the explosives caused marginal damage.