England Bang | CNN

Bangladesh: Ring of steel greets England’s cricketers on tour

By Chris Murphy, CNN
3 minute read
Published 9:35 AM EDT, Mon October 3, 2016
A huge security presence greeted England's cricketers as they arrived in Bangladesh for a three-match series. Whenever the team leaves its hotel, armed guards will follow as it is afforded Presidential levels of protection.
Ring of steel —
A huge security presence greeted England's cricketers as they arrived in Bangladesh for a three-match series. Whenever the team leaves its hotel, armed guards will follow as it is afforded Presidential levels of protection.
Gareth Copley/Getty Images
An estimated 500 security officials are protecting the England team with rooftop snipers, sniffer dogs, a bomb disposal unit and even a decoy team coach on hand as well as a bevy of armed guards. Roads were shut down for the team's first trip to the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium to train.
Armed guards —
An estimated 500 security officials are protecting the England team with rooftop snipers, sniffer dogs, a bomb disposal unit and even a decoy team coach on hand as well as a bevy of armed guards. Roads were shut down for the team's first trip to the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium to train.
Gareth Copley/Getty Images
Jos Buttler is stand-in skipper for the series after regular captain Eoin Morgan refused to travel due to security concerns.
Buttler trains —
Jos Buttler is stand-in skipper for the series after regular captain Eoin Morgan refused to travel due to security concerns.
Gareth Copley/Getty Images
Reg Dickason (L), the England team's security manager, declared Bangladesh safe to tour after visiting several times to assess the situation. Australia pulled out of a tour in late 2015 on government advice then withdrew its Under-19 team from the World Cup there earlier this year.
Dickason decision —
Reg Dickason (L), the England team's security manager, declared Bangladesh safe to tour after visiting several times to assess the situation. Australia pulled out of a tour in late 2015 on government advice then withdrew its Under-19 team from the World Cup there earlier this year.
Stu Forster/Getty Images/file
Director of England cricket Andrew Strauss (L) and England & Wales Cricket Board Chief Executive Tom Harrison have also traveled to Bangladesh with the team. Strauss, a former England captain, said the squad were "really happy" to be in Bangladesh and said if he and Harrison hadn't gone it would felt "slightly off the mark."
'Happy to be here' —
Director of England cricket Andrew Strauss (L) and England & Wales Cricket Board Chief Executive Tom Harrison have also traveled to Bangladesh with the team. Strauss, a former England captain, said the squad were "really happy" to be in Bangladesh and said if he and Harrison hadn't gone it would felt "slightly off the mark."
Gareth Copley/Getty Images
Ring of steel greets England's cricketers in Bangladesh

Story highlights

England cricket team touring Bangladesh

Huge security detail surrounds team

Armed guards, bomb disposal unit and snipers on duty

Terror attack on Dhaka tourist spot in July killed 21

CNN  — 

It’s a level of security detail usually reserved solely for a President – and England’s cricketers had better get used to it.

During its month-long tour of Bangladesh the sight of armed guards, rooftop snipers, sniffer dogs and bomb disposal units will become extremely familiar.

As the team left the ring of steel around its Dhaka hotel to venture to training, a decoy coach with blacked out windows was even deployed to confuse any would-be terrorists.

“A lot has been made about the problems they had and the attacks earlier in the year but once Reg (Dickason) had given his OK then you’ve got to trust him,” England captain Jos Buttler told journalists at his first press conference in the country.

Those attacks in July claimed 21 lives, 18 of them foreign nationals, when terrorists targeted a bakery popular with tourists in the capital.

Refused to travel

Dickason is England’s team security officer, who visited the country several times before declaring it safe to tour.

Prior to July’s mass shooting, Australia canceled its tour of Bangladesh in October 2015 on government advice, then withdrew its Under-19 side from the World Cup at the beginning of 2016.

Buttler is filling in as skipper after England’s one-day captain Eoin Morgan refused to travel saying he had vowed never to put himself in a position where security would become a distraction. Opening batsman Alex Hales also opted not to go.

Despite roads being closed and armed guards accompanying the team coach on the short journey to the Sher-e-Bangla Cricket Stadium, Buttler said his players had to block out those concerns.

“Visually there is a lot of security but that is part and parcel of making the tour OK and now we are here we can start focusing on the cricket,” he said.

“In terms of coming to places like this, I don’t think it’s been that different from what I expected and what it’s been before.

“The Board left no stone unturned coming here and when you walk into a room and see so many people here you understand the passion,” added Buttler, referring to English cricket’s governing body the England and Wales Cricket Board.

Ambush

If England’s players need a reminder how an international cricket team can become a high-profile target they need look no further than their head coach.

Trevor Bayliss was part of the Sri Lankan team that was ambushed by gunman on its way to a match with Pakistan in Lahore, back in 2009.

He was unhurt, but six players were injured and six Pakistani policeman and two civilians were killed in the attack. No international team has toured Pakistan since.

READ MORE: Aggression helps my cricket, says Virat Kohli

England play two Tests and three one-day internationals with Bangladesh, two in Dhaka and one in Chittagong, before heading to India, where it can expect similar levels of security.