Bangladesh Offer To Fill Trophy Void

Siddons - A Helpful Fellow.

Bangladesh will be ready to fill the void if teams decide to pull out of next month's Champions Trophy in Pakistan, according to their coach Jamie Siddons.

Bangladesh are currently in Australia as they prepare for their three-match one-day international series in Darwin.

The Australians had planned to use the series as a warm-up to the eight-team Champions Trophy, which is scheduled to begin on September 12, but look likely to pull out of the tournament due to fears over security in the troubled country, which has been hit by a series of bomb attacks in recent months.

It would be the second time this year Australia have refused to travel to Pakistan on security grounds after they postponed their tour in March.

Following that decision Bangladesh was called in to fill the breach, playing five one-day internationals and a Twenty20 match and Siddons said they would be willing replacements again.

"I'm not too sure whether they will keep replacing sides, but nothing has come through to us," Siddons told The Sydney Morning Herald.

"I think we're free to play if it happens but, personally, I can't see it happening.

"We've been called to Pakistan recently to fill in for the Aussies and we'll do it again if we get invited."

Zimbabwe are also believed to be on stand-by to join the tournament, just a day after they agreed not to attend the World Twenty20 tournament scheduled for England next year.

The scheduling of the Champions Trophy remains in doubt following security fears raised by Australia, England, New Zealand and South Africa.

Earlier this week the Australian Cricketers' Association urged its players not to tour Pakistan after conceding it could not guarantee their safety.

The International Cricket Council are expected to make a final decision on the fate of the tournament when they convene for a specially arranged meeting on Sunday.