Security drill causes confusion

Abu Dhabi: Cricket's biggest day also turned out to be the hottest of the month but that failed to have any affect on the passionate India and Pakistan fans.

By 11 am all tickets for the two grass mounds were sold out.

As the day wore on and the heat subsided, all empty sets were filled and international cricket was well and truly on. However, that seemed the brightest spot, as the way things unfolded off the ground, the International Cricket Council (ICC) may find it difficult to favour the venue.

Earlier in the morning security officials took over the stadium sending each and every official out as they went through their security drill. The two-hour long exercise, a precautionary measure ahead of Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf's visit, caught the organisers on the wrong foot.

With both the security agency in charge of the stadium as well as the event manager, IMG, perhaps getting involved in organising an international cricket game for the first time in the region, the inexperience added to the hardships posed by the enhanced security.

Scribes, both local and international, also faced problems with the lack of an official scorer among other factors affecting their smooth functioning. Most of the commentary boxes were occupied by security officials which saw the radio broadcasters sitting alongside the reporters, both finding it difficult to concentrate on their tasks. Quite a few photographers were also left stranded once the President arrived and after that it took quite some time before sanity prevailed.

However by then the damage had already been done as the most important people connected with the game were subjected to tough times while trying to enter the ground.

That included the ICC Chief Executive Malcolm Speed and Indian Minister and BCCI President Sharad Pawar.

One will have to wait and see how much of a margin the organisers will get from the authorities being their first ever international and whether an improved show today can make up for it.

"Significant extra security measures had to be implemented in view of the visiting foreign dignitaries. This affected the smooth running of the first match of the one-day internationals between Pakistan and India," said B.R Shetty, President of the Abu Dhabi Cricket Council.

"All possible measures were put in place to minimise the impact of this security requirement but regrettably some people suffered inconvenience and discomfort.

"The ADCC very much regret all inconveniences caused," he said.