5 Indian cricketers go missing
Down Under

Five Indian cricketers went missing last month before a former Australian Test player could collect them from the airport for a two-week stay at the Australian Cricket Academy in Adelaide.

Wayne Phillips -- now an Australian Cricket Board coach at the academy -- said on Thursday that the incident, which took place on March 25, was a "mystery".

"I haven't set eyes on them. I don't know where they are," Phillips said from Adelaide.

"We've been in constant contact with the immigration authorities. It's all become a bit of a mystery actually."

The five players were sent to the academy by the Karavali cricket clinic, which is affiliated with the Karnataka State Cricket Association, Phillips said.

Phillips said the academy had recently hosted visits from Sri Lankan, English and Australian junior squads and from the New Zealand Cricket Academy.

"We do it regularly so we're very frustrated at how this has happened," he said.

"We've done all we can do. We hope there can be a suitable end to the situation. We certainly hope it won't jeopardise the good relationship we have established in India.

"Dennis Lillee and Geoff Marsh work on a regular basis over there. There's just been a little hiccup this time."

An immigration department spokesman declined to say how long the cricketers' visas would be valid for or to speculate on the reason for their disappearance.

"These people are on valid visas so they only become an immigration issue once their visas expire," he said.

Mail Cricket Editor