MULTAN, Nov 12: The opening day of the series between Pakistan and England provided a new milestone with the biggest crowd on hand at Multan Test.

Saturday’s action at the picturesque Multan Cricket Stadium attracted roughly around 10,000 spectators who infused life and added colour to the fifth Test — and the fourth on this ground — being played in the city.

In pleasant cricketing weather, the crowd, scattered around the stadium, was generous in cheering good cricket from both teams.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), in its bid to lure the local public, has doled out 16,000 free tickets for lower stands for the ongoing Test.

A small contingent of about 60 English fans, popularly known as the Barmy Army, were also in the stadium, situated on the outskirts of Vehari Road, to cheer on Marcus Trescothick’s men.

A couple of St George flags hung proudly on the balcony of the Inzamamul Haq Stand atop the main pavilion building. Even a Union Jack was spotted in the crowd.

The previous three Tests at the Multan Cricket Stadium, which is some 10 kilometres away from the main city, never had so many visitors on a single match day.

Even the high-profile Test against India in March 2004 was marred by lack of crowd support with barely a handful in attendance on all four days, thus missing the chance to watch Virender Sehwag plunder India’s first triple century in Test cricket and the country’s maiden victory on Pakistan soil.

The previous best crowd in a Multan Test day was in 2003 when Inzamamul Haq, born and bred in the city, carried Pakistan to a sensational one-wicket victory over Bangladesh on his way to probably the best century he ever scored in a crisis.

Meanwhile, around 1300 armed men policed the stadium from the total of 2800 policemen summoned by Multan district council from 27 stations.

Abdus Salam, a senior police official, told Dawn that as per instructions of the ministry of interior, the security measures had to be beefed up.

“We are under strict orders to ensure that the teams are given top priority as regards to their safety during their stay in Multan,” he explained.

“We are bound to provide the teams and officials with the best possible security arrangements. As you must have noticed, the roads give a deserted look when vehicles carrying our distinguished guests pass through a particular route.

“Of course, some of the measures may have caused great inconvenience to the general public. But then they (the public) should realize our limitations because we have to obey orders from the high command,” he added.