WICB Protests 'Crowd Interruption' Loss

The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) has fired off a letter of protest to the ICC arguing that the match referee's decision to award India victory in a one-day international abandoned because of crowd disturbances was not within the laws.

WICB boss Wal Hall wrote to the ICC to register "strong disappointment and protest" the decision to give India the victory over the West Indies by 81 runs in Rajkot on November 12, the board said in a statement.

Objects thrown onto the grounds from the spectator stands in three successive limited-overs internationals prompted the West Indies team to walk off the field after a plastic bottle hit fielder Vasbert Drakes.

ICC match referee Mike Proctor allowed the Windies to take their players off the field in Rajkot, although he later awarded the match to India under a formula for shortened games.
Proctor's decision was the first time a host country had been given the result in a crowd-interrupted match. The Antigua-based West Indies Cricket Board said "a no-result would have been a more reasonable ruling in the circumstances."

"(There is) no basis in merit, as the match was not interrupted by rain or any other force of nature," West Indies Cricket Board President Wes Hall wrote in his letter to ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed.

"If we accept the (decision) then (Proctor) has set a dangerous precedent by paving the way for unruly crowds to influence the outcome of matches," said Hall, a former West Indies fast bowler from 1957 to 1969, argued. "We cannot entertain this possibility."

It wasn't immediately clear whether or not Hall called on Speed to reverse the referee's decision.

"India was miles ahead of the West Indies with lots of overs and few runs required," Proctor said last week. "The decision to abandon the match was entirely mine and not under pressure from the West Indies team. I took the decision to prevent injuries to players."

Rajkot was the third successive venue in the series where crowds halted play. The first match in Jamshedpur and the second in Nagpur were both resumed after short breaks.

The series is tied 3-3 with the deciding match scheduled for Vijayawada on Sunday.