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| May 18, 2002 | Saturday | Rabi-ul-Awwal 5, 1423 |
ECB moves to deter streakers
LONDON, May 17: Streakers at international cricket matches in England, until now safe in the knowledge they’d be punished only with eviction from the stadium, face arrest and a possible criminal record, a spokesman for the England and Wales Cricket Board said.
Following several pitch invasions by Pakistani supporters in 2001, the ECB decided to implement a policy of punishing anyone running onto the field. A steward suffered a broken rib and a damaged spleen at June’s one-day international against Pakistan at Headingley.
“Cricket in England got a big wake-up call last year,” said Warren Deutrom, events manager for the ECB. “Although streakers appear to offer no obvious threat, players and officials do see them as illegal trespassers. We cannot differentiate between streakers, autograph hunters or the more threatening pitch invaders.”
The ECB has been in talks with the Home Office, police in charge of sporting events, the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, and other officials about how to stop spectators interfering in sports. People running onto the field may be arrested under the Public Order Act, the government said.
The ECB, concerned that drunkenness is behind some of the incursions, is reviewing its policy of allowing spectators to bring alcohol into its stadiums, Deutrom said.
England’s international cricket campaign began Thursday at Lord’s with the first of three Test matches against Sri Lanka. There will then be a tri-nation one-day tournament before India plays England in four Test matches starting at Lord’s July 25.—PPI
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