April 10, 2006	Monday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 11, 1427

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GUWAHATI (India), April 9: Police fired tear gas on cricket fans who turned violent after the fifth One-day International between India and England was abandoned without a ball being bowled on Sunday. Spectators threw missiles on to the field and set advertising hoardings on fire after umpires Rudi Koertzen and Arani Jayaprakash decided no play would be possible due to wet ground conditions following overnight rain.

“I am disappointed that there was no match today. But if such things (crowd violence) happen, Guwahati might not have a game again,” said South African umpire Koertzen.

Two policemen and one spectator were injured in the violence.

India have already clinched the seven-match series after winning the first four games.

Thousands had begun packing into the stadium since early morning and a section of the crowd grew restless as hopes of even an abbreviated match vanished. They then attacked policemen with water bottles and sticks.

The police fired tear gas to disperse the angry spectators, who tore down fencing around sections of the field and pelted stones at television cameras.

The two teams were taken to their hotel just as the violence broke out.

“Trouble started when people realised there was no possibility of a match. They started throwing bottles and stones on to the ground,” said deputy police commissioner Avinash Joshi.

“I guess frustration was the main cause. Some of them have been waiting since five in the morning. But police successfully handled the situation though two of our policemen were injured in the process.”

Authorities had used a helicopter in an attempt to dry the ground, with the blades pushing wind downwards, but to no avail.

“We had to consider the safety of the players and both camps were adamant they were not happy with the run-ups and the fielding areas, particularly the slip cordon,” umpire Koertzen said.

“That is why it had to be called off.”

Nimbus, the television production company covering the series, said four cameras were damaged in the riot which could affect the last two games in Jamshedpur on Wednesday and Indore on Saturday.

“We are in the process of assessing the damage but at the moment I can tell you that at least four cameras have been badly damaged,” said James Rego, executive producer of Nimbus.

“What is of immediate concern is the cameras that determine run-outs, which are high density cameras and far more expensive than the regular cameras used in other positions.

“If these are irreparably damaged, and suitable replacements cannot be found in time for the Jamshedpur match, that game will be affected because international matches cannot take place without the cameras for the TV umpire in place.

“The damage is likely to be in the region of hundreds of thousands of dollars. This is a total security disaster.”

The local Assam Cricket Association said they will protest the umpires’ decision to abandon the match.

“We are not satisfied with the umpires’ decision and we will write to the International Cricket Council about it,” association spokesman Bikash Barooah said.

“We tried our best to organise the match. We hired the helicopter. From our organisation's side, we have done everything possible.

“I went to the players' dressing rooms, they told me ‘Yes, if the umpires decide, we are ready to play’.

“The crowd, however, will get their money back because we insured the match.”

Guwahati is the main city in the restive northeastern state of Assam and the players were given tight security. —AFP