UPDATE 1-Cricket-Australia players 'shocked' by shootings

(Recasts with Ponting quotes)

By Julian Linden

SYDNEY, March 3 (Reuters) - Australia's cricketers personally contacted Sri Lanka's players on Tuesday to express their shock at the attack on their team bus that left six of them wounded during their aborted tour of Pakistan.

Captain Ricky Ponting released a statement from South Africa, where Australia are touring, saying the entire cricket community was stunned by the incident but relieved none of the Sri Lanka players were killed.

"An act of violence like this is a terrible thing and when it involves those who are part of our cricketing family, players the world over are affected," Ponting said.

"The wider cricketing community has been shocked by what has occurred and our thoughts and full support is with those involved."

Earlier, Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland extended his sympathies to Sri Lanka, one of Australia's strongest rivals on the field.

"Australian cricket has many friends in Sri Lanka and in Pakistan and we sincerely hope they are all safe after this awful incident," Sutherland said.