ICC blasts Windies bus attack
Julian Guyer
CHENNAI, India, Sunday (AFP) - International Cricket Council chief
executive Haroon Lorgat Saturday condemned the attack on the West Indies
team bus by Bangladesh fans but said there were no immediate plans to
move games.
Home supporters reacted angrily after seeing their side bowled out
for just 58 by the West Indies in Dhaka on Friday in a World Cup match
the visitors won by nine wickets.
The bus came under attack as it was heading back to the West Indies'
team hotel after the match, in what police said was a case of mistaken
identity, with fans thinking it was the home team's vehicle.
Lorgat said the ICC had no immediate plans to move matches from
Bangladesh, with England and South Africa still to play group fixtures
in the country against the Tigers.
Two quarter-finals are also scheduled for Dhaka.
Reaction
"The reaction is one of disappointment, because that's exactly what
we'd not like to see but I think we must have perspective," Lorgat said.
"It was a minor incident.
"It was some disappointed fans, as a result of the home team being
defeated so convincingly by the visitors. My understanding is that a few
individuals threw pebbles at the bus.
"With that particular incident we will re-assess but I've said before
I am very, very pleased with the maturity of the security measures we've
got, the expertise, the experience we've got on board."
Asked if games could be moved from Bangladesh, should teams object on
security grounds, Lorgat replied: "We would not move the games lightly
but it is not something which we would discount completely.
Confident
"I don't believe that particular incident justifies any game being
moved just yet. I am extremely confident we will see the tournament
through as scheduled."
In a separate incident, the home of Bangladesh captain Shakib Al
Hasan was also stoned on Friday, breaking a window, police said.
First round
India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, whose own home was attacked after
a first round exit in 2007, told fans to control themselves.
"It is unfortunate, but that is how the fans react. You should
remember that players are not living at home, but their families are and
families don't have anything to do with cricket," said Dhoni.
"You have to control your emotions. When we win a game I don't go
around beating my fans, saying that you bashed my house in 2007."
Bangladesh has stepped up security after Friday's incidents. "We have
enhanced security arrangements for the World Cup," said Mesbah Uddin
Serniabat, who is the security director for the tournament's local
organising committee. "We will keep the pedestrians a little away from
the team buses and motorcade and police teams will be patrolling the
streets more intensively."
Police and the elite Rapid Action Battalion arrested 38 suspects
after the bus stoning. England and South Africa face each other in
Chennai on Sunday before they both play group matches in Bangladesh.
Andrew Strauss, the England captain, whose side play in Chittagong on
March 11, said: "It's hard for me to comment. I wasn't there and don't
know what the situation was.
"Clearly security is very important and, as far as we're concerned,
we've had no issues." South Africa captain Graeme Smith added: "We were
a bit shocked as to what happened. Obviously we need to try to let our
security and management take care of that like we've always done.
"Hopefully, it won't happen again and lessons will be learned." |