Fights at cricket match blamed on boredom

By SCOTT MacLEOD

Security will be boosted for the next cricket international at Eden Park after clashes between Indian and Black Cap supporters sparked dozens of arrests.

Police and park managers said some of Thursday's 29,381 spectators turned on the worst behaviour seen at a cricket game in Auckland for years.

Some witnesses said racial taunts and bottle-throwing preceded the fighting, but police and spectators agreed that sheer boredom induced by the low-scoring one-day match was a big factor.

The event was also marred by injuries to two spectators who toppled through a steel gate, and by season ticket-holders' complaints that their seats had been sold from under them.

Police Inspector Derek Davison said 41 people were arrested, mostly for disorderly behaviour and obstruction, after fighting between rival groups of Black Cap and Indian fans. Alcohol played a small part.

He said the trouble started about 3.30pm when Black Cap fans threw plastic bottles at Indians. The bottles were thrown back.

From 4.30pm onwards there were "direct fights" that included punching.

Mr Davison said the Indians had a colourful presence which seemed to provoke other New Zealanders. "The other factor was that it was probably a very boring game. It's been years since this level of problem. It was a surprise."

One constable's ribs were bruised during a stoush on the terraces, and an officer's head was hit by a plastic container of fluid.

Eden Park Trust Board chief executive John Alexander said the problems were "something we've not seen before at that level". Park managers and police were discussing how to handle the sides' next Eden Park one-dayer on January 11.

Mr Alexander said more security guards would be on duty at that match.

Most of the spectators who spoke to the Herald felt the crowd behaviour was rowdy, but not excessively so.

One New Zealander, who would not be named, said he was sitting near Black Caps supporters who chanted, "Are you Pakis in disguise?"

But he also saw an Indian at the front of the terraces repeatedly turn around and give the fingers to the crowd behind. The man later walked through the crowd and got into a fight with several people.

The spectator said the game was one of the worst he had seen. He had seen worse crowd behaviour, but had never seen it flare so soon after the start of a game.

More than 12 young men appeared in the Auckland District Court yesterday on disorderly behaviour charges. Most were offered police diversion.

One of the arrested men said outside court that the cricket crowd had been good-natured and "just throwing plastic bottles every time the Mexican wave came round".

"I didn't see anything over the top that warranted that heavy number of arrests."

He said he did not hear any racial taunts and, for a while, had sat down the front with Indian friends.

"I didn't see any racially motivated stuff, just alcohol-induced partying."

A man who gave only George as his name said he and several other people with season tickets found their designated seats sold had been sold.

"It's double-dipping," he said. "They shouldn't be doing that."

A Ticketek spokesman would not comment before the agency has completed an investigation, but an Eden Park source said several season ticket-holders' seats were accidentally sold.

Other spectators had sat in and refused to budge from season ticket-holders' seats.

Several spectators reported two men jostling with a flag. A steel gate gave way and they fell heavily to the ground below.

Ambulance staff confirmed that two men were taken to hospital after an incident at Eden Park. One is thought to have a fractured hip.

Mr Alexander said the gate should not have given way. It had been fixed, and fitted with a safety chain. All similar gates were being checked.

New Zealand won the game by three wickets.

- additional reporting: Philip English and Rebecca Walsh