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BRISTOL - New Zealand Cricket (NZC) chief executive Justin Vaughan flies to London next week to discuss his increasingly edgy players' concerns about touring Pakistan in August and September.
New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori said Pakistan would be one of the "hot topics" of Vaughan's visit which also takes in the International Cricket Council (ICC) chief executives' meeting in Dubai.
It is understood several New Zealand players are uncomfortable about playing three one-day internationals in the volatile nation in late August, just before the ICC Champions Trophy is staged there.
Australian captain Ricky Ponting fuelled the doubt this week, saying he remained unsure whether his team would attend the Champions Trophy at all, or whether individuals would withdraw.
"It's probably a precursor to a lot of people's concerns I'd imagine. If they (Australia) have got concerns then a lot of other teams will as well," Vettori said ahead of the third one-day international against England in Bristol.
Vettori said Vaughan's arrival would provide the first opportunity to discuss the Pakistan issue as a group, although it had been raised with Cricket Players' Association boss Heath Mills when he visited London last month.
"Guys will want to raise concerns if they have them, and hopefully we'll have some answers to all those issues. "
Vaughan has already said players would be given an opportunity to miss the tour without any impact on their contractual status, or implications for future selection.
The issue has particular sensitivity for New Zealand who cut short their tour in 2002 after a suicide bomber killed 14 people outside their hotel in Karachi.
They returned in late 2003 amid a massive security presence, and played five one-day internationals without incident although Craig McMillan, Scott Styris, Lou Vincent and Ian Butler opted out.
"I was there when the bomb went off outside our hotel then I went back a year later on the tour and the security they put forward was immense, and almost overwhelming. I did feel safe throughout that time," Vettori said.
"If they could promise that level of security I think it would appease a lot of guys. We just have to sit tight and wait on these security reports, once you read them you can make a personal decision. "
Allrounder Jacob Oram said last month that Pakistan, their next scheduled tour after England, was looming as a "massive issue".
"I'll really have to sit down with my wife and family and make decisions. At this stage I haven't really given it a lot of thought so I've got no definitive answer," he told NZPA.
NZC agreed in principle to playing one-dayers in Multan (August 24) and Faisalabad (August 27 and 30) before the Champions Trophy, pending an independent security report.
Cricket Australia boycotted their scheduled tour of Pakistan earlier this year due to safety concerns, and Ponting said those issues remained.
"We don't know if we're going, and if we do go, we don't know if individuals are going to pull out," Ponting said.
"But what we know right now is, yes, there is some apprehension amongst some of the players and that was stated last summer. I don't think that would have changed until now.
Ponting said New Zealand, "who have been confronted with this stuff before", would share his side's serious concerns, as would England.
Sri Lanka is the alternative venue if Pakistan is deemed unsafe, while South Africa has been mooted as another backup venue.
ICC acting chief executive Dave Richardson said at this week's Champions Trophy launch in Lahore that the country remained the top choice of venue.
"At this time we are comfortable with the decision that Pakistan has the ability to host the event and the fact is that we are proceeding with the arrangements. "
- NZPA
