Mark Waugh has added his name to the growing list of Australian cricketers refusing to tour Pakistan because of security fears. Waugh said he fully expected the tour to be called off, but, if it went ahead, he would join brother Steve, Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Adam Gilchrist in dropping out. "I wouldn't go, I think it's too dangerous, life is much more important than cricket," said Waugh . "If you're in the wrong place at the wrong time you don't know what might happen."

Steve Waugh, McGrath and Warne said last week that they would not tour following the bomb blast in Karachi which left 14 dead..

Warne told Australian Associated Press that he would put his safety and family ahead of cricket. "If it was on in Pakistan, I don't think I would be going, for obvious reasons" he said. "There's a war going on there, there was a bombing with New Zealand. If it was tomorrow and we were going, I wouldn't be going, no way.

"I don't think anyone would hold it against people if they decided not to go to Pakistan. It's a big decision especially when you've got kids involved. It's a pretty hostile place at the moment."

McGrath said he had already been told by his wife he would not be going to Pakistan. "At the end of the day, we play cricket and we love what we do," he said. "But to put your life on the line for a sport, is not what it's all about."

Steve Waugh said no-one should be forced to go if they felt at risk. "It's pretty hard to give in to terrorism," he said. "You look at it from both sides. One side you go for the good of cricket and not giving into terrorism and on the other side is that it may be dangerous and you're putting yourself at risk.

"We want to go out there and play cricket but if you're in danger, you've got to consider what the options are. They've got to send players over there who want to go. If the players don't want to go, there's not much point in sending a team."

Pakistan Cricket Board director Munawwar Rana said it would take a lot of effort to convince the International Cricket Council and other cricket boards to play in Pakistan.

Although ACB chief executive James Sutherland said it was too early to decide on Pakistan, it seems unlikely that Australia would send a side if their main players refused to travel.

"It's a serious issue and the ACB are treating it extremely seriously," Sutherland said. "The safety and security issues are of paramount concern to us. "But we're still months away from the tour and there are plenty of things to work through in that time. Circumstances can change in that time which is why I don't want to be getting into hypothetical situations."

A neutral venue looms as the most likely option for the PCB, which would still receive most of the revenue. Pakistan played West Indies earlier this year in Sharjah, which became cricket's most tainted venue following bribery scandals.

The ACB has previously refused to send teams to Sharjah. "We have had concerns about Sharjah as a venue in the past," Sutherland said. "But with it now being approved by the ICC as a suitable venue, that gives us a bit of comfort."

© Wisden CricInfo Ltd