Aus players relieved at Pak tour postponement

8220;I don8217;t think disappointed is the right word 8212; I8217;m rapt Cricket Australia and the ACA Australian Cricketers8217; Association made the decision and it didn8217;t have to come down to individual players,8221; batsman Michael Clarke told Australian Associated Press.

8220;I8217;m happy it8217;s been sorted out without the players8217; involvement. I8217;m very relieved and happy they8217;ve done that for the playing group.8221;

Australia have not played a Test match in Pakistan since 1998. Their three-Test tour scheduled for four years later was moved to Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates because of security concerns.

Fast bowler Stuart Clark echoed Michael Clarke8217;s comments and told a Sydney radio station: 8220;I don8217;t think anyone likes it when a cricket tour gets called off, because that8217;s our job, but there was obviously concerns from everyone involved.8221;

CA Chief Executive James Sutherland said they had taken advice from the Pakistan Cricket Board, the Pakistani and Australian governments, and independent security consultants before making their decision.

8220;I am not sure that there was necessarily a belief that cricketers would be specific targets,8221; he told ABC Radio.

8220;But there was enough risk for us to be sufficiently concerned to tell the Pakistanis that in the circumstances, we didn8217;t think we would be able to tour right now.8221;