Rate it!

0 votes

Hugh Morris was travelling to Chennai after accompanying the England team to their Abu Dhabi base.

Morris, managing director for England cricket, was among the 38-strong party that arrived in the United Arab Emirates in the early hours of Friday morning.

He will now head off to India to make security assessments for the first Test venue before returning over the weekend.

Professional Cricketers' Association chief executive Sean Morris has also been dispatched to the southern Indian city to view the provisions put in place pending a possible resumption of the pre-Christmas tour.

England returned home last Saturday following the terrorist attacks in Mumbai and have set up a training camp here until a definitive decision is made on returning to the subcontinent.

Security advisor Reg Dickason has spent the last few days back in India, having returned with the England and Wales Cricket Board's requests for player safety, and has inspected the MA Chidambaram stadium in Chennai.

The expanded group, including 10 members of the England performance squad, checked into their hotel at 4.15am local time on Friday.

However, with time of the essence - the relocated first Test is due to begin next Thursday - they set off for an afternoon net session at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium just nine hours later.

Yorkshire leg-spinner Adil Rashid was yesterday called into the party to provide an extra slow-bowling option initially for match preparation.

All-rounder Rashid would also be a potential replacement should any of the spinners opt out of travelling on to India.

A decision on whether the tour will resume is expected on Sunday.

Sporting Life / Eurosport