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Rediff.com  » Sports » Australian umpire slams Pakistan security

Australian umpire slams Pakistan security

March 05, 2009 11:52 IST
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One of the two Australian umpires caught up in the attack by gunmen on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Pakistan said he feels "let down" by the security arrangements for the tour.

Umpire Steve Davis said his initial shock has now given way to anger that safety promises he had been given were not kept.

"There's a bit of anger there that we were let down," Davis told reporters on his arrival at Melbourne airport on Thursday.

"We had all sorts of assurances before and I'm sure the team feels that way too.

"Despite all that, this was still able to happen and we were put in a very vulnerable position and felt very helpless.

"We were certainly left without any security in our van when we were being fired upon.

"The security obviously went with the Sri Lankan bus when they managed to get away. We were left there and no one came back for us."

Pakistan authorities have defended their security plans but Davis's comments echo similar complaints from English match referee Chris Broad, who told reporters on his return to Britain that he and colleagues were left like "sitting ducks".

The driver of the bus the match officials were travelling in was one of seven people killed in Tuesday's bloody attack on a convoy of players and officials making their way to the Gaddafi stadium in Lahore.

"I think I'm still numb," Davis said. "The driver's foot was lodged on the accelerator and it was revving at a million miles an hour.

"Eventually a police officer came from somewhere, dragged the driver's body out, and drove us at top speed to the stadium."

Despite his ordeal, Davis said he wants to continue umpiring but would want guarantees security would be tighter.

"I couldn't fathom this was happening to a group of umpires who were here to umpire cricket," he said. "I was naive to think cricket was above all that.

"I'll just go and do my job but obviously I want to make sure we get all the assurances and the security that we are promised.

"I'm sure there'll be a lot of soul searching from this and a lot of questions asked."

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Source: REUTERS
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