5 Mar 2009

ICC umpire angry over insufficient security for cricket team

5:47 am on 5 March 2009

ICC Test referee Chris Broad has accused security forces in Pakistan of providing insufficient protection after the Sri Lankan cricket team was ambushed in Lahore on Tuesday.

A van carrying Broad and other officials to the Gaddafi Stadium for the third day of the second Test between Pakistan and Sri Lanka was also attacked.

Broad, told a news conference on Wednesday that high level security had been promised, but it vanished "in our hour of need" and "they left us to be sitting ducks".

He said he raised concerns before the tour with the International Cricket Council and had been assured that there would be presidential-style security. "Clearly that didn't happen," he said.

Six police and two civilians were killed in the ambush. Seven players and an assistant coach were wounded.

Sri Lanka's tour was immediately called off afterwards.