Waugh, Fleming and officials condemn crowd

Rival captains Steve Waugh and Stephen Fleming and leading officials condemned crowd misbehaviour at tonight's opening triangular series one-day cricket match at the MCG.

More than 200 spectators were evicted from the ground and play was held up for 10 minutes during the Australian innings tonight after objects, including a bottle, were thrown at New Zealand fieldsmen.

Two spectators also ran onto the playing arena during the New Zealand innings, risking $1,000 fines.

"It was disappointing, it stopped the momentum of the game twice," said Waugh.

"It's annoying because the majority of people are there to watch the game and the other people are there to interrupt it.

"It does take away from the spectacle and ruin it from a player's perspective."

Fleming said he had no hesitation in requesting a break in play when objects were being thrown because the safety of his players was paramount.

"People who come to the cricket here have got to change their attitude," he said.

"All I worry about is the safety of my players and its up to other people to work it out."

Australian Cricket Board chief executive James Sutherland conceded the MCG now housed the worst behaved cricket crowd in Australia.

"What concerns us is we've seen it all before," he said.

"The behaviour of a small minority is putting the future of one-day cricket at this ground at risk."

A police spokeswoman revealed that 22 people were arrested at tonight's game, 19 of them for drunken behaviour.

She said that more than 250 spectators were ejected from the ground.