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Anti-hooligan measures in place for fifth Test

The British police intend to use football-style, anti-hooligan intelligence methods in a bid to ensure that trouble does not erupt in course of the fifth cricket Test between England and South Africa at Headingley, beginning Thursday.

Headingley's (Yorkshire) Western Terrace, with a seating capacity of 6,000, is a notorious magnet for rowdy elements. And after unruly behaviour during the first Test at Edgbaston earlier this year, Yorkshire police are determined to guard against a repeat.

To this end, they will employ methods similar to those adapted by the National Football Intelligence Unit. These will include plain-clothed "spotters" with knowledge of known local hooligans, as also video surveillance equipment.

In conjunction with these measures, there will be an alcohol ban on the Terrace, while spectators in other areas will be limited to one bottle, or four cans, per head.

The restrictions on fancy dress, first implemented during the one-day match at Headingley and also adopted at Old Trafford for the third Test, have also been put in force at Headingley.

This is the first time such intensive anti-hooligan programmes are being put in place for a Test match in England.

Commander of police operations at Headingley Inspector David Boyle said, "There is increasing evidence that people are attending in order to extend their football xenophobia into cricket. We have seen this in the wearing of football stripes, the football banners in the crowd and the organised chanting.

"This," says the senior policeman, "makes it necessary for us to look at the possibility that people involved in football violence are coming to cricket."

Previous Headingley Tests have been marred by violence, including a pig's head being paraded on the Western Terrace during the visit of Pakistan in 1992, as also the incident where reserve wicketkeeper Tim Zoehrer was punched as he got onto the Australian bus during the 1993 Ashes series.