South Africa deals blow to Champions Trophy

South Africa [Images] dealt a body blow to next month's ICC [Images] Champions Trophy in Pakistan on Friday by withdrawing from the tournament for safety and security reasons.

Despite assurances from an International Cricket Council (ICC) task force that acceptable security measures would be in place, Cricket South Africa (CSA) said it is not prepared to send a team to Pakistan.

However CSA president Norman Arendse said in a statement he hoped the ICC would be able to re-schedule the eight-nation tournament due to be held from September 12-28.

Sri Lanka [Images] are the designated replacement hosts although ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat said on Tuesday it was now too late to switch the competition.

Australia [Images], New Zealand [Images] and England [Images] players have also expressed concerns about security in Pakistan after a spate of suicide bombings. In the latest incident, 67 people were killed in a suicide bombing on Thursday outside a defence industry complex 30 km northwest of Islamabad [Images].

The ICC executive board will meet on Sunday to make a final decision on the fate of the tournament.

"We know of Cricket South Africa's decision and we will not be making any further comment until the ICC board has discussed Champions Trophy related issues on Sunday," an ICC spokesman said.

Arendse said CSA had reached its decision after extensive discussions and "a frank exchange of views" with the ICC task force headed by Lorgat, a former South Africa selector.

South African Cricketers' Association chief executive Tony Irish welcomed the decision.

"There is nothing more important than the safety of our national team," he said.

Last week an ICC delegation met Cricket Australia plus national captain Ricky Ponting [Images] and vice-captain Michael Clarke [Images].

The Australian Cricketers' Association (ACA) has told its members that Pakistan is not safe to tour and also expressed concerns about Sri Lanka.

An ACA spokeswoman said the players' union would wait for the ICC to makes its decision on Sunday.

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