The Australian Cricket Board has cancelled its tour of Pakistan in September, a move that has put an end to weeks of speculation. The decision was made in the wake of a grenade attack on a Christian Mission near Islamabad last week, by suspected Muslim militants. Following an earlier attack on a Christian school for overseas aid workers, Bob Merriman, the chairman of the ACB, admitted that the security risks were too high - and that foreigners may continue to be targeted: "Following our most recent information from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Australian High Commissioner in Pakistan, the board has decided that, regrettably, travelling to Pakistan would compromise the safety of our players and officials," said Merriman at a news conference in Melbourne.

Merriman added that the ACB had informed Lt-Gen. Tauqir Zia, the president of the Pakistan Cricket Board, of its decision. Australia, though, are still willing to play the series as scheduled at an alternative venue. It is the second successive cancellation of a Test tour of Pakistan, after New Zealand pulled out on the morning of the second Test at Karachi in May, when a bomb exploded outside their hotel.

Australia also felt obliged to cancel their tour of Zimbabwe earlier this year, and Merriman admitted the disruptions to world cricket were reaching crisis point: "I think it really is a significant deterioration," said Merriman. "It certainly creates real difficulties for the cricketing nations of the world."

John Howard, Australia's Prime Minister and a keen cricket enthusiast, said the decision was "regrettable" but necessary. Howard informed Pakistan's president Pervez Musharraf of the decision before it was announced by the ACB, adding that he hoped the tour could be rescheduled "in the not too distant future".

"It's difficult there and the situation is complicated by the fact that Pakistan has taken a very strong stand in the war against terrorism," said Howard. "They will understand in the end that the board's responsibility is for the safety of the players, and I don't think, particularly in the light of recent events, they had any alternative other than to take the decision they have."

The PCB, however, have revived threats to boycott Australia over the cancellation: "We are deeply disappointed," said Tauqir Zia, "and feel that it's a decision enforced on the Australian Board by their government, foreign office and High Commission. Now we will consider all our options including a boycott." Pakistan, who had hoped to be celebrating 50 years of Test cricket this winter, has already shifted a scheduled three-way one-day tournament to Kenya.

The decision will have come as a relief to the majority of Australia's players. Mark Waugh, Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath had already stated their reluctance to tour, although Steve Waugh had said he would be happy to go if it were deemed safe.

It is now up to Pakistan to come up with an alternative venue, said James Sutherland, the chief executive of the ACB, though he ruled out any chance of Australia hosting the series: "We did explore that possibility," said Sutherland. "Really it came down to programming issues ... we wouldn't be able to fulfil our commitments to sponsors and media-rights holders and the [ICC] ten-year plan.

"It's Pakistan's tour. They own, effectively, all of the rights associated with the tour. No doubt they'll consult with us along the way."

© Wisden CricInfo Ltd