Jakhrani asks Cricket Australia to tighten up security at grounds

ISLAMABAD, Feb 2 (APP): Sports minister Ijaz Hussain Jakhrani asked Cricket Australia to tighten up security at grounds before it is too late after the serious issue of security of players Down Under came to light after Pakistan opener Khalid Latif was brought down to the ground by a spectator during the fifth and final ODI in Perth on Sunday. “The thing that really worried me, what if that person had a knife on him, he got there and could have done anything he wanted,” Jakhrani was quoted as saying by the Sydney Morning Herald. “There should be some kind of barrier or restriction to stop people entering the ground. This is the right time to think about these things,” he said. “I have told the cricket board chairman Ejaz Butt that he should take it up with the Australian cricket board - this is not on,” Jakhrani said. “It does play into a broader context. It gives Australia in general and Perth in particular a bad name when something like this happens. And it does the reputation to our sport no good either,” CA spokesman Peter Young said. The International Cricket Council too was upset about the incident and had asked for an explanation from CA. “We are disappointed. There was a clear security breach,” an ICC spokesman said. CA, on its part, said that the incident was a blot on Australia’s image as a world class cricket venue. Source:app.com.pk/