Why did you allow fans in stadium with bottles? BCCI asks Orissa association

New Delhi, October 7

The BCCI has sought a report from the Orissa Cricket Association over the crowd trouble witnessed in Monday's Twenty20 International match between India and South Africa that prompted calls for banning water bottles inside the stadium.

The OCA has two days’ time to submit its report.

"During the second innings of the match, the spectators at the Barabati Stadium disrupted the game by hurling plastic water bottles on the field of play. As a result, the play had to be stopped for several minutes before most of the spectators were evacuated from the stadium for play to resume," BCCI said on Wednesday.

"Mr. Manohar (BCCI president Shashank Manohar) has asked the state association to explain why the spectators were allowed to carry the bottles inside the stadium, which is against the ICC Guidelines," it added.

Spectators threw bottles at players twice during play — once at the change of innings and again when South Africa batted — during the match that saw India lose to South Africa by six wickets at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack. Play had to be halted to rein in the crowd, causing a delay of nearly an hour. Cricketers condemned the incident, with batting legend Sunil Gavaskar calling for a ban of bottles inside stadiums.

The teams play the third and final match at Kolkata's Eden Gardens on Thursday.

The two sides will also play five one-day internationals and four test matches in what is South Africa's longest tour of India. — Agencies