World Twenty20 hosts Sri Lanka are to beefup security after angry fans clashed with baton wielding police in Hambantotawhere the home side lost a match to South Africa, officials said on Sunday.Local residents in the southern port town stormed the ground after they weretold that tickets for Saturday's match at the 35,000-capacity Mahinda RajapakseInternational Stadium had been sold out, a security official told AFP.
"The crowds got very boisterousand they smashed the barricades and forcibly entered the grounds," theofficial said, asking not to be named. "The baton charge did not deterthem. A few thousand got in." Heavy rains shortened the group C game toseven-overs-a-side, which South Africa won by by 32 runs. Witnesses said localfans pelted stones at vehicles leaving the match venue after Sri Lanka lost thematch. A heavy presence of the elite Special Task Forces commandos could notdeter the angry crowds.
"Their anger was because they could not enter the grounds,"another official said. "When they broke down the barricades and came inthey started shouting and making a big rumpus." Camillus Abeygunawardena,the top security officer for the tournament, said there were unruly scenesoutside the stadium, but insisted that players and spectators inside thestadium were well protected. "The problem was that locals residents wantedto get in, but they did not have ticket," Abeygunawardena said. "Thatis when trouble started."
With Hambantota not due to host any more matches, hesaid security would be stepped up for the rest of the tournament in Pallekeleand Colombo, but was confident there will be no repeat of Saturday's incident.The clashes between police and fans came despite an unprecedented securityoperation for the tournament, the biggest sporting event ever to be hosted bySri Lanka. Bodyguards from the Ministerial Security Division (MSD) andcommandos of the elite Special Task Force have been deployed to guard playersin a drill usually reserved for visiting heads of state. Armed security hasbeen deployed at team hotels where floors occupied by players have beendeclared out of bounds for other hotel guests. Sri Lanka's Tamil separatist warended in May 2009 with government forces declaring victory over the separatistTamil rebels, but no international match or players in Sri Lanka had beentargeted by the militants.