English match referee 'extremely angry' at Pakistani security lapse

London, March 4 : Chris Broad, the English match referee for the second cricket Test between Sri Lanka and Pakistan, Wednesday said he is "extremely angry" about security in Pakistan.

The former England batsman was in a minibus directly behind the vehicle carrying the Sri Lankan players in Lahore Tuesday when both came under terrorists' fire which wounded six cricketers and killed six policeman and the minibus driver.

"I am extremely angry that we were promised high-level security and in our hour of need that security vanished," Broad said upon arrival in Manchester.

He said the match officials were left like "sitting ducks" after the security forces ran for cover when the attack happened close to the Gaddafi Stadium.

Broad's vehicle was also carrying three umpires, one of whom, Pakistani Ahsan Raza, was seriously injured.

Broad, who has been called a hero by the British press for reportedly shielding the Pakistani with his body, said: "I'm not a hero. Ahsan Raza took a bullet to the stomach or chest - somewhere in the spleen and lung region.

"I was lying behind him on the floor of the van and there were bullets flying all around us. I only noticed he was injured when I saw a large pool of blood had spilled on to the floor and out of the partially opened van door.

"He's just an umpire who loves the game."

--IANS