Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has raised security concerns with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) due to ongoing anti-immigrant riots in the UK. With protests and counter-protests erupting in various cities,
including Manchester, where Sri Lanka’s first Test is scheduled on August 21, players already in England for pre-series training have expressed anxiety.
According to a report in ESPNCricinfo, the Sri Lankan players already in England – seven players and two support staff – have asked the country’s cricket board to arrange for better security over the next few days, as they travel to and from a ground near London, due to the widespread riots targeting immigrants in the UK.
Several Sri Lankan players are already in England for pre-series training.
Sri Lankan team manager, Mahinda Halangoda, confirmed that he formally addressed these security concerns with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), particularly after reports of unrest in Manchester, the venue for the first test match.
It also said the United Kingdom government, in an emergency call on Wednesday, has assured sporting bodies that the country remained safe for conducting sporting activities, with the police stating it will crack down on people who indulge in violence. After the first Test ends at Manchester, Sri Lanka and England will play two more games at the Lord’s, beginning on August 29, and at The Oval, commencing on September 6.
