The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, Sydney

Cricket Australia said Sunday it hoped the security situation in Pakistan would calm down so that international cricket could again be played there, following a massive bomb blast in Islamabad.

At least 60 people were killed and 200 others were injured in the truck bombing Saturday night at the Pakistani capital's Marriott Hotel, where rescuers were combing through the debris for possible survivors.

"Our reaction is that it's terribly sad and tragic news," CA public affairs manager Peter Young told Australian Associated Press.

"We enjoy playing against them and we have tours coming up there next year of course," he said.

"Everyone is praying quite fervently that the domestic situation there settles down so people can live their life in peace and hopefully we can start playing cricket there again."

Australia was one of the nations that declined to tour Pakistan this month for the International Cricket Council's Champions Trophy on security grounds, which led to the tournament being put off by a year.

Australia also refused to undertake a Test tour of Pakistan last March-April over similar fears, instead agreeing to split it in two parts in 2009 and again in 2010.

"We do have cricket scheduled in Pakistan in 2009 and as always we'll do a pre- tour assessment before we travel there," Young said.

CA did decide to proceed with next month's tour of India even after a series of deadly bomb attacks in New Delhi, prompting criticism from Pakistani officials.

As for the Champions Trophy, Young said the ICC was "trying to come up with dates and venues for that."

"Of course, we were due to be there today. We would have been in Pakistan had the originally scheduled dates gone ahead," he said.

News briefs

Safina beats Kuznetsova to win Pan Pacific Open

AFP, Tokyo

Olympic silver medallist Dinara Safina powered past Svetlana Kuznetsova in an all-Russian final for her first victory at the Pan Pacific Open tennis tournament today.

Safina, the 22-year-old French Open finalist and world number five, notched an easy 6-1, 6-3 victory over Kuznetsova, the 2004 US Open champion and world number seven.

Romania beat India to stay in World Group

AFP, Bucharest

Romania retained their place in the Davis Cup World Group after forging to an unassailable 3-1 lead in the play-off with Inida here Sunday.

Leading 2-1 overnight, victory was assured when Romania's Victor Hanescu defeated Prakash Amritraj, 6-2, 6-3, 6-1

Victor Crivoi comes up against Somdev Devvarman in the remaining dead singles rubber.

India were bidding for a place in the World Group for the first time since 1998 and had given themselves a lifeline, after going 2-0 down on Friday, when Mahesh Bhupathi and Leander Paes saw off Horia Tecau and Adrian Cruciat 6-4 7-6 (7/0) 6-4 in Saturday's doubles.

Three-times finalists Romania and India have met three times in the Davis Cup.