Minor incident mars holiday fun

By K.C. Vijaya Kumar

BANGALORE, MARCH 25. Indian batting showed hidden reserves of strength. Local boy Rahul Dravid chipped almost a run-a-ball 80. And the crowd at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium was obviously delirious with Ugadi festivities adding to the fun. However, the Pepsi series one-dayer between India and Australia here on Sunday did have a discordant note.

Damien Fleming fielding at long-on became a soft target for pellets during the 14th over. The Aussie camp was understandably miffed and play was held up for a brief while. It was perhaps an unexpected breather for the V.V.S. Laxman-Dravid combine and to a harried Shane Warne but for the organisers - Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) - it was considerable heartburn.

The disturbance was quickly brought under control and the KSCA eschewed all risks and unfurled the protective nets over the Eastern Stands. The nets was ushered in during last year's Test against South Africa. It may be recalled that the earlier Coca- Cola tri-series final here between India and Pakistan was marred by crowd unrest. And the KSCA, led by secretary Brijesh Patel, had then identified the Eastern Stands as a potential trouble spot. However Sunday's disturbance stemmed from the lower tiers of the BEML Stand and that is cause for worry.

It was ironic that on a day when India pulverised a clueless Aussie attack with a corporate dishing out some music and cheerleaders during the breaks, a section of the crowd had to watch proceedings through an obtrusive net. In the past Indian crowds were known for their sportive spirit but a few stray incidents have sullied that image.

Hope however does linger. The Chennai crowd's standing ovation to Wasim Akram's Pakistan after the visitors snatched an improbable Test victory against India in 1999, is still fresh in public memory. If cricket fans can emulate that behaviour in other centres, then fielders in the deep can breathe easy and organisers can enjoy the game rather than brood over security concerns.

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