SL players ignored security expert Dickason's advice

Sydney: Renowned security adviser, Reg Dickason on Wednesday said he had warned the Sri Lanka Cricketers Association of the inherent dangers in going to Pakistan, but they ignored his advice.

After Tuesday's terror attack on the Sri Lankan team, on its way to the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, cricket world is waking up to the realities of fears expressed by various security experts a year ago. Now, Pakistan will be scrapped as a touring destination.

The attack, which left six policemen and two civilians dead and injured six players and an assistant coach, will force cricket's marque event, the World Cup, to be radically replanned.

Dickason, who advises Australian, England and New Zealand cricket boards on security matters, said he rang the secretary of the Sri Lankan Cricketers Association, Graeme Labrooy, a fortnight before the Sri Lankans were to embark on the tour to warn him of the danger.

"I expressed my serious concerns about going to Pakistan," Dickason told The Australian from the West Indies, where he is with the England cricket team.

"I offered to speak to him further about it and told him to get back to me if there was anything more he needed."

He did not hear back from Labrooy.

Dickason strongly opposed the Champions Trophy being played in Pakistan last year, forcing its postponement when most countries outside the subcontinent refused to play despite the pressure from the International Cricket Council.