da betsson： India lost their Coca-Cola Cup tri series match to hosts Sri Lanka onSunday because anti-government activists invaded the pitch, a courtheard on Monday
24-Jul-2001India lost their Coca-Cola Cup tri series match to hosts Sri Lanka onSunday because anti-government activists invaded the pitch, a courtheard on Monday.The match was held up briefly as two men ran to the middle of thepitch and held up banners denouncing the government, as India beganits innings under lights.The men have been charged with criminal trespass, obstruction of acricket match, and displaying anti-government banners, police said.At a hearing at a magistrate’s court in Colombo, police inspector SASSuraweera said India lost by six runs because they were “frightened”after the demonstration disrupted play for about three minutes.”We have charged the two men on three counts and we also told themagistrate that India should have won the match if not for thedisturbance caused by them,” Suraweera said. “There was no formalcomplaint from the Indian team, but we know they lost because of thedisturbance.”However, lawyers for the men said their demonstration was only aimedat the recent “dictatorial” action of the president in shutting downparliament and had nothing to do with cricket.Colombo magistrate Priyantha Fernando freed the two men on bail of20,000 Sri Lankan rupees (222 dollars) each and adjourned the caseuntil August 15.