Pitch invasions embarrass Oval authorities

The Champions Trophy sparked to life yesterday afternoon, but not in the manner that the authorities might have hoped for. After the first potentially competitive encounter of the tournament had descended into the ninth mismatch in a row, the focus of attention switched from the players to the fans, who amused themselves during the presentation ceremony by staging a series of mini pitch-invasions.

Dozens of well-lubricated Australian and New Zealand supporters took it in turns to rush towards the square, pursued on each occasion by members of The Oval's "Green Team" security firm - many of whom had been recruited for the day from local rugby clubs. The whole spectacle was egged on by a crowd of 17,000, including a large proportion of London's antipodean backpacking community.

It was no-holds-barred stuff - many of the tackles on show would have resulted in a sin-binning had they taken place on the rugby field, and there are doubtless some bruised bodies this morning, after the stewards dumped several of the fans back over the picket fence that surrounds the ground. Both captains agreed that the spectacle had been unedifying. "I'm not sure how it all started," said Australia's Ricky Ponting. "Probably too many beers in the sun."

It was a significant embarrassment for the tournament organisers, although there seemed to be little they could do to prevent it, without resorting to heavy-handedness. "Our primary goal is to keep people off the outfield," said the tournament director, David Clarke. "It belongs to the players and the officials, and I hope a few of those people wake up in custody this morning and find themselves being charged with public-order offences."

That wish is likely to be thwarted, however, because the England & Wales Cricket Board has so far failed in its attempts to introduce statutory punishment for such offences, and it was unclear whether any of the fans had been arrested following the trouble. "This is not something we should get out of context," added Clarke. "However, what it shows is that legislation would be helpful to deal properly with these people."

The organisers are keen to prevent a repeat of the mass pitch invasions that marred the 1999 World Cup, and already thoughts are turning to Sunday's clash between India and Pakistan at Edgbaston. On Pakistan's last visit in 2001, England were forced to concede a one-day match at Headingley from the sanctuary of the pavilion, after a mass invasion by Pakistan's fans had brought the game to a standstill.