BBC SPORT | CRICKET | England hopeful over India tour

England's cricket tour to Indian remains on course after top-level talks in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday.

England and Wales Cricket Board chairman (ECB) Lord MacLaurin and chief executive Tim Lamb met their Indian counterparts and agreed to proceed as planned.

The tour has been under threat following the military strikes on Afghanistan.

Both boards are very keen for the tour to proceed

ECB chairman Lord MacLaurin

But Jagmohan Dalmiya, president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), was optimistic after the meeting.

"There are no visible signs of trouble in India connected with the current military action being taken by the USA and its allies," he said.

Dalmiya said he had been in discussion with the Indian government over security measures for the England team.

England are due to arrive in India in November for a three-Test series, followed by five one-day internationals in the New Year.

"You can be sure that the Government would not allow the tour to take place if they felt that the physical safety of members of the team was under threat," added Dalmiya.

Test venues map
The first two Tests will be played in northern India

Lord MacLaurin added: "The ECB and the BCCI will continue to closely monitor events in the coming days and weeks.

"We have agreed on the importance of maintaining a constant dialogue.

"Naturally. both boards are very keen for the tour to proceed."

On Monday it had been suggested the tour would not go ahead unless there was a change in current advice from the British government.

The Foreign Office last week urged any Europeans in India to "keep a low profile", an impossibility for any cricket team touring the sub-continent.

"If we have the same advice in two weeks' time that we had last week then I don't think our players will go," said Lord MacLaurin at the time.

The ECB has promised players that the trip will be cancelled if there is any chance of them being at risk and officials are believed to be already considering alternative tours.


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