International cricket chiefs Wednesday demanded that stadium bosses in Colombo make changes to ensure there is no repeat of chaotic scenes during a World Cup warm-up match.
Published: Feb 16, 2011, 02:51 PM (IST)
Edited: Feb 16, 2011, 02:51 PM (IST)
Sri Lanka Cricket came under fire after fans struggled to get hold of tickets and officials and reporters were blocked from entering the R. Premadasa Stadium
Colombo, February 16, 2011
International cricket chiefs Wednesday demanded that stadium bosses in Colombo make changes to ensure there is no repeat of chaotic scenes during a World Cup warm-up match.
Sri Lanka Cricket came under fire after fans struggled to get hold of tickets and officials and reporters were blocked from entering the R. Premadasa Stadium for Tuesday’s match between the home side and the West Indies.
The ICC said changes to the stadium, including the relocation of the media enclosure, meant new access arrangements were necessary.
“We need to ensure that, in future, those arrangements are worked through thoroughly and also communicated to the relevant stakeholders,” the International Cricket Council (ICC) told AFP in a statement.
“We will seek to do that in time for the next match at the R.Premadasa Stadium on February 26.”
The privately run Daily Mirror of Colombo said Sri Lanka Cricket security authorities had “mucked up” arrangements for the day-night warm-up match, which Sri Lanka won by four wickets.
The paper said the ICC’s media manager for Sri Lanka, Brian Murgatroyd, was also initially blocked from entering the venue.
The privately run Island newspaper said confusion over where fans could buy tickets added to the chaos, with the only sales booth situated one kilometre (half a mile) away.
The R. Premadasa stadium is due to host seven matches. Sri Lanka, the 1996 World Champions, are in Group A with defending champions Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Zimbabwe, Canada and Kenya.
© AFP
