England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) will not provide any extra security to the Indian team and has suggested that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) should make its own arrangement in that respect. However, BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah insisted in Mumbai on Saturday that it should be ECB`s responsibility. The two Indian observers have gone there only to convince ECB of the danger to the Indian team which will be on tour from June-end, he said.
ECB director of corporate affairs John Read told journalists in London that ECB had provided security to its players in India last winter at its own cost and BCCI was welcome to do the same.
Anyway, Read felt that English cricketers faced greater threat post the September terrorist attack in America than the Indians might face from Pakistani immigrants as Shah had mentioned.
But, Shah was equally emphatic and pointed out at two past instances -- junior India beating Pakistan in world cup finals and India defeating Pakistan in 1999 world cup -- when Pakistani fans had invaded the field.
Shah also ruled out sending security officers with Indian team and said that the Indian government had provided adequate security to the British here.
Read was of the view that BCCI might contact International security officer Bob Smalley but the latter will be strictly on the look-out for match fixing and nothing else. Read, however, did mention that ECB has already started a `keep off the pitch` campaign which also entails 1,000 pounds (Rs 70,000) fine for any violators.
Meanwhile, Shah`s fear of the Pakistani threat to Sachin Tendulkar and captain Saurav Ganguly has provoked Muslim settlers in England and the media is flooded with indignant letters. The tone of the reaction was that Shah, who is based in Rajkot in Gujarat, should direct his worries towards Gujarat where communal riots are still on. Bureau Report