Sri Lankan attacks bring back dark memories for Morrison

A Sri Lankan player boards a helicopter at Gaddafi stadium after the shooting incident in Lahore. Photo / AP

Former Black Cap Danny Morrison is re-living some of the fears of being near a terrorist attack in Karachi in 2002 when a bomb exploded outside his hotel.

Morrison says the latest drama that saw the bus carrying the Sri Lankan team attacked takes him back to that harrowing day nearly seven years ago.

Six policemen and two civilians are believed to be dead while six players and two officials have been injured in yesterday's attack. It follows gunmen storming the team bus and officials' vehicle as they made their way to the Gaddafi Stadium.

Morrison says Pakistan has always been a volatile place but a cricket team being attacked directly for the first time takes the issue to a new level. He says the latest drama in Pakistan has brought back the fear, and he remembers that feeling of waiting for another bomb, after the first one had exploded.

Pakistan is due to sub-host the 2011 World Cup with India and Bangladesh, which is an agreement that will now face review in April.

Reg Dickason has been the terrorism and security consultant for the ICC, helping a number of teams including New Zealand.

While teams have been caught up in terror attacks in the past, Dickason says this attack has entered new territory. He says it is the first incident to target an international cricket team directly.

Mr Dickason says as far as making a team secure is concerned, a number of factors need consideration many of which are unknown variables. He says there has to be an assessment of the capability of the terrorist organisations and also those people protecting players. He says the postponed Champion's Trophy is likely to be cancelled for starters.

Mr Dickason says the situation has not improved and he feels sorry for the Pakistan board who are powerless to stop such acts.

The cricket world is united in shock following the attack, with the boards of the test playing nations each expressing sorrow, anger and shock at the attacks. But it has also prompted questions over their cricket future, with some countries wondering if they have played their last matches in Pakistan for a long time.

Black Caps captain Daniel Vettori can not see international cricket returning to Pakistan anytime soon. He says it will be tough for Pakistan cricket to come back from this and he can not see teams touring there in the future.

Vettori says his team is devastated and their thoughts are with the Sri Lankans, many of whom are friends.

The Black Caps are the next team due to tour Pakistan at the end of the year.

India refused to tour Pakistan, instead negotiating a longer tour of New Zealand. Captain MS Dhoni says the attack on the Sri Lankan team is a reminder sports people can and will be targeted by terrorism. He says cricketers are not immune from attacks and have to take the necessary precautions in future.

South Africa coach Mickey Arthur says this could mean the end of international cricket in that country for the foreseeable future. Until the visit by Sri Lanka, Pakistan had gone without test matches for over a year due to security concerns.

The Pakistan Cricket Board is urging the international community not to axe the country as a tour venue in the wake of the terror attacks. PCB spokesman Wasim Bari says at a time when terrorist attacks are taking place all over the world Pakistan cricket should not be abandoned or isolated. He says they can still hold international matches.

- NEWSTALK ZB