"I AM shocked. Stunned. It's unbelievable. I didn't know this had happened until I got this phone call."
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It was almost with disbelief that former Australian Test cricketer Peter Toohey yesterday learned of the terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team bus in Pakistan.
The former St Stanislaus' College student from Barry, near Blayney, was in Mexico helping set up a pharmaceutical plant when the Western Advocate phoned him to ask his thoughts about the incident.
After informing Mr Toohey that eight people were dead and several Sri Lankan players had been shot in the gun battle outside Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, the phone went silent.
"This is just terrible news," he said. "I hadn't heard about the attack. I'm in Mexico and it's 6pm at night here right now. I am shocked. Stunned. It's unbelievable.
"It's certainly a sad day for cricket. I suppose this means the face of cricket will be changed forever. It [terrorism] was already close to the game, but now it's crossed the line and taken terrorism to a new level.
"It will impact on every sport no matter what code, not just cricket. No cricket nation will want to tour Pakistan now.":
Mr Toohey said he was thankful that no cricketers were badly hurt or killed, but said he felt a great sadness for the relatives and friends of those who were killed.
"I myself have never been to Pakistan," he said. "I never have and probably never will now."
Long-time Bathurst resident, Sri Lankan born Kol Peris, was devastated by the news from Pakistan.
A cricket lover having played the game at a senior level here as well as a current coach, Mr Peris said he was still in shock.
"In the past cricketers have been off limits to terrorists. They are treated like demigods in the sub continent," he said. "I never thought it would come to this. It's sad that now nobody is safe over there. No teams will be prepared to risk it [touring Pakistan] now.
"This will change the face of sport for a long time to come. You can't just stamp out terrorism in a few years. Just when you might start to think it's safe something like this happens.
"Who know when these people will strike again."
Mr Peris said Pakistan is now effectively a no go zone for all international sports.
"I never thought I would live to see the day when something like this would happen," he said. "It's a sad day."
Sri Lanka's Australian coach Trevor Bayliss was lucky to escape from the attack unscathed.
His wife Julie spoke to the Western Advocate in the aftermath of receiving the news.
"Trevor's fine, but some of the players were injured," he said. "They (the Sri Lankan contingent) just want to get out of the country as fast as they can.
"They were very, very lucky. Had the planned terrorist attack gone to play they all could have perished."