JAMSHEDPUR, India, Mar 2: Indian official* arc trying to pre vent a repeat of Monday's crowd

l rouble in the last two one-day cricket International* agalnsl England, reports Reuter

The move follows a complaint by England team man-iCcr Keith Fletcher whose players were pelted with missile* by section* of the 25,000 crowd at the fourth one-day match which the touring team won by six wickets.

Fletcher warned that a cricketer could be seriously Injured playing in India by an object thrown from the crowd.

The most serious incident concerned England paccman Devon Malcolm, who narrowly escaped injury when a sharpened six-inch metal bolt Hew past his head as he attempted to field on the boundary.

After the match, Fletcher reported the crowd to West Indian match referee Camnue Smith, who passed on his

comments to the Board of Control for Cricket tn India UM Cl).

Smith spoke to BCCI joint ■ax rclary J Y Lele, who was al the match and told RcUtcrs afterwards; We are taking it > < ry se riously.

We will be taking measures lo ensure it docs not happen next time they play here. Including having policemen in the crowd.

We will also be considering ways to prevent a repeat in the next two (one-day) matches in Gwalior (on Thursday and Friday).

Fletcher, who will be- looking carefully at precautions in Gwalior, said: It is not going to be- loo long before someone gets seriously Injured in this country.

The police arc there but they don't do anything about IL The standard of behaviour of parts of the crowd was totally unacceptable.

In certain places you cannot

ask fielders lo stand close to the boundary because they might gel hurt. With the World Cup <*omlng up (in 1996) they will have to gel their aci together.

The incident Involving Malcolm was Just one of a scries In which Indias players, to a lesser extent, were also bombarced along with officials and photographers.

It follows similar trouble tn previous matches. In Friday's one-day game in Bangalore. England s fielders were pelted with fruit and cold curry while tn ihe Bombay Test. Phillip DcFreftas was hit by a radio battery.

Volunteer stewards w« r< in chaiee of preventing piK li Invasions on Monday, and Lcte said he thought the trouble arose because the crowd did not like the way Ihe stewards beat spectators who jumped the barbed-wire fence and got on to the playing area.

They can accept beatings from authority, like the police, but not from volunteers, added Lek-

If they want to beat them Huy should take them outside and do it.