Broad's fears over 'dreadful' attack

_{ICC president David Morgan and chief executive Haroon Lorgat speak to the media after the Lahore attacks}

England all-rounder Stuart Broad revealed his father Chris Broad had witnessed things “he never wanted to see” during the terrorist attack in Lahore.

Chris Broad, 51, was following the Sri Lanka team’s coach when it was ambushed by masked gunmen close to the Gaddafi Stadium, where day three of the second Test against Pakistan was due to take place.

Broad senior, a former opening batsman for Gloucestershire, Nottinghamshire and England and now an ICC match referee, threw himself on top of a local umpire when they too came under fire.

Six policemen and two civilians were killed in the incident, during which seven Sri Lanka players were injured.

Broad covered injured Pakistani umpire Ahsan Raza with his own body. Raza had been shot and Broad was trying to protect him from more bullets.

“My dad saw things that he never expected to see and he never wants to see again,” said Stuart Broad, who was travelling with the England team to Trinidad from Barbados.

“It was dreadful. I spoke to him in the early hours of this morning and he was obviously very shook up by it all. It has obviously been really heart-breaking for him.”

The Test series between the two Asian countries was scrapped in the immediate aftermath of the attack and the Sri Lanka players not requiring hospital treatment were flown out of the ground, where they had taken refuge, by helicopter.

Sri Lanka's team bus after the attack. ICC match referee Chris Broad was in the following vehicle

“He got safely out of Pakistan to Abu Dhabi, I think,” Stuart, 22, added. “He is safe and well and looking forward to getting back to the UK.

“Not just for my old man, but for the whole of the Sri Lankan side, it is a dreadful thing to have happened.

“Luckily none of them got seriously injured and they’ve escaped okay.

“It is just an horrific incident and we all feel for them because we can sort of relate to the situation.

“Obviously our condolences go out to the families and loved ones who lost people in the incident.”

Former Middlesex and Kent wicketkeeper Paul Farbrace, now assistant coach of Sri Lanka, was among those hurt by flying shrapnel as they lay on the floor of the team coach.

“I exchanged text messages this morning with him,” revealed ECB managing director Hugh Morris. “Thankfully he is okay.

“Paul used to work for the ECB for 10 years or so, so we’re very close to people involved and our players obviously play against the Sri Lankan players on a regular basis.

“We are a small community and when a terrible event like this happens our hearts really go out to them.

“Our thoughts go out to everybody that was caught up in the attack, particularly those who were injured, and the families of those that were killed.

“It was just a shocking day for everybody, particularly those that are involved in cricket.”

England were due to participate in the ICC Champions Trophy last September but strong advice from security experts forced the ICC to postpone the event.

“Clearly the security advice was for us not to go there,” said Morris.

“We always say that the safety and security of our players is of paramount importance. That is the stance of the board and it always will be.”