ECB monitoring Lanka crisis

England cricket chiefs are watching the situation in Sri Lanka ahead of the national team's six-week tour, which is scheduled to start next Thursday.

Doubts over the trip heightened on Wednesday (yesterday) when Sri Lanka President Chandrika Kumaratunga declared a state of emergency in the wake of her decision to sack three powerful government ministers and suspend parliament.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed it has been discussing the issue with the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office, as well as its Sri Lankan counterparts.

Sources at the ECB  say the Board is mindful of the mixed messages sent out during the on-off trip to Harare earlier this year when the World Cup match with Zimbabwe was scratched following weeks of deliberation on both security and morality issues.

They will bide their time before making a definitive decision on whether to embark on the three-Test tour.

"We are monitoring the situation closely at the moment and liaising with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and Sri Lankan cricket board," said an ECB spokeswoman.

"The advice everyone should listen to is that of the FCO and their current advice has remained consistent over the past 24 hours -- that it is safe to travel."

An FCO spokesman confirmed, "We have explained to the ECB that travel advice has not been substantially changed and therefore there is no reason for them to change their plans, although we will continue to assess the matter on a daily basis."

The Professional Cricketers' Association has also been kept abreast of the situation but the team is concentrating on on-field matters according to captain Michael Vaughan, as they prepare for the three-match one-day series in Bangladesh.

"We are here to play cricket and until we hear otherwise that is what we will continue to do," he said.

Sri Lanka Cricket secretary Mohan De Silva last night moved to reassure the England team.

"I think cricket and politics are two different things and we should not get worried about it," he said. "I feel that there should be no worry and the tour will go on as expected."