Cricketers decry quot;lawlessquot; eden

Former Indian cricketers Polly Umrigar, Bapu Nadkarni and Gulabrai Ramchand said the boorish behaviour of the crowd was most untimey, when two prime ministers were breaking barriers at Wagah. It also ruined a great contest, was their unanimous opinion.

Umrigar termed the incidents as most unfortunate episodes in Indian cricket, while Ramchand said they were disgraceful. Nadkarni wondered what was going wrong with Calcutta. While former India poucher Naren Tamhane was also harsh in his views of Calcuttans, he blamed third umpire KT Francis of Sri Lanka for giving Sachin Tendulkar out. He should have gone by the spirit of the game and not by the rule, he felt. Indian captain Mohammad Azharuddin said the crowd behaviour was a 8220;major disappointment.8221; Pakistan captain Wasim Akram said, 8220;I thought Calcutta crowd was more disciplined.8221; He said the incident was a 8220;definite disappointment8221; for the Pakistani team and blamed the media for having blown out of proportion Sachin8217;s controversial dismissal.8220;Today8217;s agitation among a section of the crowd was because they had read reports in the newspaper this morning saying Sachin8217;s dismissal was not justified,8221; he said.

Pak team manager Shahryar Khan played down the incidents, saying it was only a small hitch8217; during their 8220;otherwise peaceful tour.8221;

Embarrassed in his own backyard, Cricket Association of Bengal CAB president Jagmohan Dalmiya said the crowd has to learn to accept the laws of cricket. Dalmiya said if the game had not been completed, it would have been a black spot in Eden8217;s history. 8220;Some people do not desire to watch cricket. Cricket does not need them,8221; he added.