New Zealand manager has no concerns for team's safety

CLEAR Black Caps team manager, Jeff Crowe, has confirmed to New Zealand Cricket today (1.30pm) that he has no concerns for his team's safety.

He reassured New Zealand Cricket General Manager, Tim Murdoch, that the team is very relaxed and entirely focused on their match against India this evening (8.30pm NZ time).

He said he is perfectly happy with the security arrangements surrounding the team and these had not needed to be increased. He said that at no time had the team felt threatened or in any way at risk.

Although a practice session yesterday had been shortened, this was in order to ensure the team was back in the hotel to meet the dusk-to-dawn curfew which has been imposed.

Crowe said that following tonight's match the CLEAR Black Caps has a scheduled 4-day break before their next game. He has asked the Sri Lankan Board to investigate moving the team to the town of Kandy where the humidity is not as great and there are excellent practice facilities. He said the request was not related in any way to security concerns.

Tim Murdoch said New Zealand Cricket will continue to keep regular dialogue with the team management but hoped that Crowe's comments would reassure friends and family of the players that they are not in any danger.