Heavy security presence evident ahead of England test

Heavily-armed guards patrolled the boundary of Chennai's Chidambaram Stadium yesterday as the city prepared to host this week's first test between England and India following last month's Mumbai terror attacks.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) decided to resume the tour late on Sunday.

City police and commandos cordoned off the stadium, situated by the Bay of Bengal, with heavily-armed personnel lining the boundary line as some of the Indian team practised yesterday.

"The police have taken over the gates," a regional cricket board spokesman told Reuters.

"Usually the security hired by the state association man the spectator entry points. This time it is a complete police show."

The one-day series between the two teams was cut short following the attacks that killed at least 171 people in India's financial capital and England returned home after the last two games were called off, with the hosts leading 5-0.

International Cricket Council chiefs spoke to officials from both countries to push for a resumption of the tour, while the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) promised extreme security measures and moved the venues for the tests.

The first test starting on Thursday was switched to Chennai from Ahmedabad and the second test to Mohali (Dec. 19-23) from Mumbai.

Chennai city police commissioner told a news conference yesterday that a 3,000-strong force drawn from police and commando units had been assigned for player security.

ECB managing director Hugh Morris, security advisor Reg Dickason and Sean Morris, CEO of the Professional Cricketers' Association, travelled to Chennai last week to check security measures.

Among those killed in the Mumbai attacks were 22 foreigners and the teams would have stayed in one of the two hotels that were raided by the militants.

Indian board officials have secured most of the rooms in the heavily guarded team hotel in Chennai.

The high security measures, however, have not deterred fans in the cricket-crazy city, who are eagerly awaiting the match to overcome the Mumbai attacks that shook the country.