'What Happened to Drakes Was Last Straw'

Tue, Nov 12, '02

Former India all-rounder and national selector Kirti Azad has spoke of his shame after his country's controversial win in the third one-day match against West Indies.

India were handed victory after the game in Rajkot was brought to a premature halt following yet more crowd trouble. "It is very unfortunate. "It is against the spirit of the game. People should come to enjoy the game, not to disrupt it," said Azad, a member of India's 1983 World Cup-winning squad.

"The crowd behaviour was really strange because India seemed to be in a winning position. I am really ashamed of what happened here."

With the home side seemingly set for victory after reaching 200-1 off 27.1 overs, the game was called off when West Indies all-rounder Vasbert Drakes was struck on his leg by an object thrown from the crowd.

India, who needed 301 for victory, were then awarded the match under the Duckworth-Lewis method. "In my estimation, India got off to a fantastic start, that is why they deserved to win," said ICC match referee Mike Procter.

"India were miles ahead of West Indies. It wasn't the Indian players' fault for the match to be abandoned. The team should not be penalised." But he added: "This is not a small incident. It is the third time it has happened here.

"What happened to Vasbert Drakes was the last straw."

Drakes was hit by a bottle while fielding on the boundary, prompting the West Indies to march off the field and refuse to return.

* SOURCE: BBC Sports