SYDNEY,13 March 2008 — Two of Australia’s players have expressed relief that this month’s tour of Pakistan has been postponed.

The world champions were due to tour Pakistan for 30 days but Cricket Australia (CA) put the trip on hold because of a recent spate of suicide bombings, including two on Tuesday in Lahore, where Australia were due to play.

“I don’t think disappointed is the right word - I’m rapt Cricket Australia and the ACA (Australian Cricketers’ Association) made the decision and it didn’t have to come down to individual players,” batsman Michael Clarke told Australian Associated Press.

“I’m happy it’s been sorted out without the players’ involvement. I’m very relieved and happy they’ve done that for the playing group.” Australia have not played a Test match in Pakistan since 1998. Their three-Test tour scheduled for four years later was moved to Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates because of security concerns.

Fast bowler Stuart Clark echoed Michael Clarke’s comments and told a Sydney radio station: “I don’t think anyone likes it when a cricket tour gets called off, because that’s our job, but there was obviously concerns from everyone involved.” CA chief executive James Sutherland said they had taken advice from the Pakistan Cricket Board, the Pakistani and Australian governments, and independent security consultants before making their decision. “I am not sure that there was necessarily a belief that cricketers would be specific targets,” he told ABC Radio. “But there was enough risk for us to be sufficiently concerned to tell the Pakistanis that in the circumstances, we didn’t think we would be able to tour right now.”

Six Black Players in S. Africa

Squad for India Test

In Johannesburg, South African selection convenor Joubert Strydom admitted yesterday there had been “a lot of discussion” before the announcement of a 14-man squad for a Test series in India.

The squad meets Cricket South Africa’s target of six players of color.

In two changes from the squad originally selected for a recent Test series in Bangladesh, two colored players, fast bowler Charl Langeveldt and left-arm spin bowler Robin Peterson, replaced two white cricketers, Andre Nel and Johan Botha.

“There was a lot of discussion and toing-and-froing,” said Strydom, although he did not comment directly on rumors that the squad had again been the subject of a tug-of-war between the selectors and Cricket SA President Norman Arendse.

The announcement last month of the team for Bangladesh, which only included four black players, was delayed by more than a week and eventually departed without the sanction of Arendse, who then won backing from Cricket SA’s general council for a policy of six players of color in a 14-man squad.

“Targets and transformation was one of the issues we were aware of when we took on the job as selectors,” said Strydom. “It is a part of South African sport, as it is in politics and economics.” Strydom said he felt that the squad, which will play three Test matches in India, starting on March 26, would provide a stern challenge for the in-form Indians.

Sri Lanka Omit Veterans for

West Indies One-Dayers

In Colombo, Sri Lanka yesterday left out senior pros Sanath Jayasuriya and Muttiah Muralitharan from a 15-man squad for the upcoming one-day series in the West Indies.

Young fast bowler Lasith Malinga will also miss the three one-dayers in mid-April due to a foot injury, Sri Lanka chairman of selectors Asantha de Mel said.

Left-handed Jayasuriya, 38, and off-spinner Muralitharan, 35, were omitted as part of a long-term plan to build a team for the 2011 World Cup, to be hosted jointly by India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Jayasuriya, who is one-day cricket’s second highest scorer with 12,310 runs from 411 matches, was dropped after poor form in the recent tri-series in Australia won by India.

Jayasuriya retired from Test cricket in December but was keen to play one-day cricket for a few more seasons.

“He (Jayasuriya) did not perform well in Australia,” de Mel told AFP. “We have three years to groom a team for the 2011 World Cup and younger players must be given a chance.”

Muralitharan, who has a world record 723 Test wickets to his credit and 464 one-day scalps, will play the two Tests that precede the one-dayers in the West Indies.

Off-spinner Ajantha Mendis, 23, will replace Muralitharan for the one-dayers while left-handed Mahela Udawatta will come in place of Jayasuriya.

All-rounder Kaushalya Weeraratne, 27, stages a comeback after playing the last of his 11 one-dayers in 2003.

The three one-dayers will be played in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad (April 10 and 12) and Saint Lucia (April 15).

The two Tests will be held in Guyana (March 22-26) and Port-of-Spain (April 3-7).