ECB could move post-match ceremonies indoors

The ECB is considering moving post-match presentation ceremonies indoors following yesterday's incident at Lord's after the NatWest Series final.

Australian batsman Michael Bevan was struck on the cheek by a full beer can hurled from the crowd watching the presentation ceremony take place on the pavilion balcony.

Bevan suffered only bruising, but the potential for a more serious incident Could lead to the ECB moving all ceremonies during the forthcoming Ashes series indoors to prevent the occurrence of a possible "copycat" incident. Fans could then only watch the ceremonies on the giant screens at the grounds.

The incident at Lord's followed pitch invasions at Edgbaston and Headingley during the NatWest Series.

"We'll be having a full review of the NatWest tournament, which will include presentation ceremonies," explained Tim Lamb, chief executive of the ECB.

"It's too early to decide whether ceremonies should move inside closed doors as the way forward, but we are certainly looking into it - it's a shame everyone should suffer from the actions of one lunatic."

Lamb is hoping for a meeting with Sports Minister Richard Caborn and John Denham, the Minister of State at the Home Office, in the next week to investigate how English cricket can counter unruly crowds.

Lamb said: "We don't want to overreact here, but we have another situation when the players have again been made vulnerable and that should not happen.

"We've never had a history of missile-throwing in English cricket and you could say that one is too many and we are very concerned about what has been happening over the last few weeks.

"If people see there are no effective sanctions at the moment, there could be a copycat incident. There are members of society who do look to take advantage of loopholes and make a name for themselves.

"It is all a question of getting the balance right. We have to be able to rely on people to behave properly but this is a social problem, not just cricket's, and we have been caught up in a social issue."

He added: "I know the MCC and the police are studying television footage to see if they can identify the idiot who did this and if that could be done, it would be great if he was severely punished to send a message out to others that the penalties are severe for this sort of thing."

Australian team manager Steve Bernard is planning to meet Lamb during their match at Arundel this week against the MCC when security issues will be discussed for the Ashes series.

But he has sympathy for the authorities, claiming: "The ECB have reacted as things have evolved and the MCC put a lot of measures in place to avoid any disturbances.

"I feel sorry for the MCC and ECB because no one could have foreseen that would happen, but it has made us refocus a bit more about what has to be done."