Australian players told IPL threat 'not credible'

Australia's players could be a step closer to taking part in the IPL after receiving advice that the terrorist threat from the 313 Brigade was not credible. However, Tim May, the chief executive of the Federation of International Cricketers' Associations, has said there could still be "mass withdrawals" unless players receive a commitment that the IPL's security plans will be implemented at all venues.

The Australian IPL players currently on tour in New Zealand were given a briefing by a Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade official at the team hotel in Christchurch on Saturday. The Australian Cricketers' Association (ACA) has now been told by the security adviser Reg Dickason that the 313 Brigade threat is not credible but that does not mean the issues are resolved.

"Reg is comfortable that the threat is not credible but we still haven't received a commitment that the security plans will be implemented as laid out," Marsh told the Age. "The ball is in the IPL's court at the moment.

"They can give us the commitment to implement the plans or they can't. Let's hope that they can. Our understanding is it that they've done it before, the Board of Control for Cricket in India has done it. We keep saying, our players want to go."

May agreed that it was now in the hands of the organisers and local police to commit to implementing the security plans. "If the security situation does not improve, there could be mass withdrawals," May told the BBC. "There are just 13 days before the start of the tournament and security arrangements have still not been agreed.

"We would love to tell the players it is okay for them to go. But we can't give that assurance at the moment, because no one will say definitively that the security plan will be implemented at each of the venues."