Cricket Australia vows to check unruly crowd behaviour
Cricket Australia vows to check unruly crowd behaviour
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Cricket Australia has vowed to crack down relentlessly on fans wielding laser pointers after the incident in Tuesday's Twenty20 match in Brisbane when South African fielder Wayne Parnell was blinded as he attempted to take a catch.
"It is a very serious matter, an incredibly unsportsmanlike thing to do at a cricket match," Police Minister Judy Spence told a media conference.
Cricket Australia is seeking legal advice to determine whether offenders who shone laser lights at players in the future could face criminal charges.
Keeping a watch
Cricket Australia and the Melbourne Cricket Club have warned security staff to be on the look-out for spectators using the device in tomorrow's one-day international between Australia and South Africa at the MCG. Meanwhile, the parent body has announced it will evict and prosecute anyone in possession of laser lights during the upcoming one-day series.
Teenage fast bowler Parnell yesterday revealed he was "stunned" by the light, which was shone on him, as he dived desperately to catch Hussey at a crucial stage of the closely-fought encounter.
There was a green flash and it was pretty bright and the light seemed to be pointing towards me," Parnell said.
"It was all a bit strange.
"I only saw it then but maybe it was flashed around at other times, I am not sure.
"I am not making any excuses. I think it was a pretty valiant attempt to make the catch. I wouldn't have caught it anyway.
"You have to be professional and I guess sometimes you have to deal with these things."
Cricket Australia officials promptly declared "it's not cricket" and immediately issued an apology to the South African team.
South African coach Mickey Arthur said he considered the matter a minor one.
The Proteas players accepted the apology and will treat the matter as closed but the issue of bad behaviour by Australian crowds has again raised its ugly head.
During their last tour of Australia in 2006 South African players Makhaya Ntini, Garnett Kruger, Herschelle Gibbs and Ashwell Prince said they were racially abused.
Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan was taunted by crowds at the Gabba in 2003 with vociferous chants of "monkey" and "f... off chucker", leading the world's leading wicket-taker to vow never to tour Australia again, a pledge he reconsidered when he toured Down Under in 2005. (With inputs from agencies)
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