The ICC had sought enhanced security for games in state
capital Mumbai and also Nagpur, said the state official, speaking on condition
of anonymity as he was not authorized to speak to the media.
Security in Mumbai, Maharashtra's capital and India's
financial and entertainment hub, has been high ever since a terror attack by
militants in 2008 that killed 166 people.
ICC representatives met the state Home Minister R.R. Patil
to discuss security arrangements for the matches in the two cities. “The state government has expressed its willingness to
provide enhanced security to the players in their hotels, and once they are in
the stadium but has asked the ICC to pay for the extra security,” the official
said.
Mumbai is hosting the final on April 2.
State government officials said the ICC would only be
charged for the personal security of the players and not for the overall
security during the matches.
“Any security arrangements made for players and inside the
stadium will be charged. However, we have decided not to charge the ICC for
general security for traffic management or in parking areas,” Umesh Sarangi, a
chief secretary in the Maharashtra home department, was quoted as saying by
Hindustan Times newspaper.
Other cricket and police officials said the payment for
security demand was not unusual. In the past, police had been paid for
providing extra security during Indian Premier League and other major cricket
matches.
“The payment would depend on the number and seniority of
police personnel who are deployed on security duty,” said N.P. Yadav, a top
Mumbai police official.
In Mumbai, World Cup organizers have scrapped plans for an
online purchasing system for the World Cup final after it crashed on its
opening day, and will now arrange for a lottery instead.
None of the 1,000 tickets available could be sold on Monday
after the system went down almost immediately after opening for business.
Millions of fans tried to buy tickets for the April 2 final in Mumbai's
newly-renovated Wankhede Stadium.
Tournament director Ratnakar Shetty said that the
International Cricket Council has now decided to sell these tickets through an
online draw system.
“They will very soon send out a date and time whereby people
can apply online for the tickets. Later, after a draw is held those winning
their bids will be asked to buy the same online,” Shetty said.
“Also, no one person can buy more than two tickets.” The MCA
will sell only 3,000 tickets to the public through website/window sales. The
remainder of the 33,000 tickets will be shared by more than the 300 affiliated
clubs of the association, the ICC and the Board of Control for Cricket in
India.
This will also include the hospitality boxes, which have
increased in number at the new stadium.
In Chennai, families who have lost loved ones in the
Christchurch earthquake are in the thoughts and prayers of New Zealand's
players at the cricket World Cup, a team official said Tuesday.
At least 65 people have been killed in one of New Zealand's
worst natural disasters, which toppled tall buildings and churches and crushed
buses. It was the second major quake to hit the city of 350,000 in five months.
“All immediate friends and family are (OK), but that doesn't
detract from the fact that there have been fatalities,” New Zealand media
manager Ellery Tappin said. “Our prayers are with the families who have lost
their dear ones.” Members of the team, which is currently training in Chennai,
and the sport's ruling International Cricket Council have sent messages of
sympathy and concern.
The ICC is also looking into ways to mark the tragic events
when New Zealand plays its Group A match against Australia at the World Cup on
Friday.
New Zealand opener Martin Guptill said on his Twitter feed:
“Thoughts go out to the people of Chch today.
Terrible thing to have happened again.” All-rounder Scott
Styris also expressed his concern for members of the squad who have families in
Christchurch.
In Colombo, Sri Lanka has withdrawn a ban on musical
instruments inside the country's World Cup venues, an official said Tuesday.
Police had prevented spectators from carrying drums and trumpets, a regular
sight during cricket matches in Sri Lanka, much to the discontent of the home
fans.
But Sri Lanka Cricket chief executive Ajith Jayasekera said
there had been a change of heart by the sports ministry, probably due to fans'
complaints.
“It (music) was badly missed in the first match,” Jayasekera
said referring to the co-host's World Cup match against Canada on Sunday. Local
media sharply criticized the authorities for overdoing security at the game,
causing inconvenience to fans.
Alcohol, spectators who are drunk, sharp items, professional
cameras, glass bottles and cans will continue to be banned from the stadiums,
however.
Australia skipper Ricky Ponting apologized for smashing an LCD
screenin the team's dressing room following his run out in the World Cupopener against Zimbabwe,
but his behavior came under severe criticism from former cricketers. The incident
took place immediately after Ponting was run out on Tuesday by a direct hit
from the deep by Zimbabwe's ChrisMpofu
in the Group A clash between the two teams. An agitated Ponting was seen
talking angrily to himself as he walked back to the dressing room and, in a
state of fury, threw his gear, which accidentally hit the LCD monitor. Ponting,
Gujarat Cricket Association ( GCA)
officials claimed, immediately apologized and requested the authorities for a
replacement, said the Australian team's media manager Lachy Paterson. While Ponting is unlikely to face any disciplinary action
if an ICC source is to be believed, his action didn't go down well with the
cricketing fraternity.
Mumbai's newly renovated Wankhede Stadium has cleared fire
safety standards and is fit to host World Cup matches, according to a news
report Tuesday.
Officials from the Mumbai Fire Brigade who inspected the
stadium on Tuesday said the venue had complied with all the fire safety norms,
Press Trust of India said. “We have given them a compliance certificate. They can host
matches. The stadium is safe and secure,” A. N. Shinde, Mumbai's deputy chief fire officer, said.
Last week, the fire department officials had given match
organizers a scare when they declared that they were unhappy with the fire
safety system at the venue.
Wankhede Stadium, which seats around 45,000 spectators, is
the venue for three World Cup matches, including the final on April 2. Allaying
fears about the stadium, World Cup tournament director Ratnakar Shetty said
Sunday that security would not be compromised and that all fire safety norms
would be met.
Shinde said fire officials had made four rounds of
inspections of the stadium before issuing a “no objection certificate.”
