SJFI condemns handling of cricket World Cup accreditations

“The accrediations cards have been sent to the Indian board and it is shocking that many Indian correspondents have been denied accreditation,” he said.

The SJFI, he said, had repeatedly sought clarifications about the quota for Indian journalists for all the matches of the World Cup, but neither Michael Browning, event manager, nor Gaynor Fascione, accreditation manager, have cared to reply till now.

Ghosh also criticised the BCCI for its lackadaisical attitude in resolving the issue. He urged the BCCI to take up the case with England’s Cricket Board and the International Cricket Council (ICC).

ST JOHN’S:

West Indies cricket chiefs are to meet for talks on how to avoid a repetition of the crowd trouble in the one-day series against Australia that ended on Sunday.

Spectators invaded the pitch in the final moments of the fifth match at Georgetown last Wednesday, preventing Australia’s last pair scoring a third run to level the scores.

On Sunday, spectators angered by the controversial run-out of West Indies opener Sherwin Campbell in the seventh and last game in Bridgetown threw bottles onto the outfield in an ugly incident that stopped play for 45 minutes.

West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) chief executive officer Steve Camacho said a discussion on security would be a key item on the agenda for their board meeting next month.

Some of the measures already raised were high fences, public education and only allowing the use of plastic bottles at all grounds.

Camacho, the former West Indies opener, described the bottle-throwing incident at Kensington Oval as part of a very sad chapter in West Indies cricket that had marred an extremely successful tour by Australia.

He said the public should realise that the two incidents in Guyana and Barbados had caused immeasurable world-wide damage to the reputation of West Indian cricket.

Camacho said that while the trouble in Bridgetown had been resolved in the short term by the Australians allowing local hero Campbell to be reinstated, this precedent could have far reaching repercussions in the future.

The board would seek ways of ensuring the course of future matches was not influenced by the wishes of the crowd.

Camacho said that on the field of play the umpire’s decision was final and there were avenues off the field for lodging protests and complaints.

He appealed to the public to avoid actions that could in the long term limit their opportunities to enjoy the sport they love.

Barbados Prime Minister Owen Arthur has said `sorry’ to the cricketing world for the bottle-throwing incident. Arthur apologised “on behalf of the children and younger people of Barbados.”