Pothas seething at thuggish behaviour

Twenty20 / Editor / 26 June 2007 / Leave a Comment

Middlesex wicket-keeper Nic Pothas was disgusted with fans' behaviour at their Twenty20 clash with Hampshire after items were stolen from the changing rooms in Southgate.

The London side triumphed by five runs in the rain-shortened match but it was the off-field antics of some of the spectators that made the headlines.

Personal items were stolen from the Middlesex dressing room, while stones were thrown at the Hampshire bus and Pothas was incensed at the unruly behaviour.

He said: "As players, we make the effort to play in dangerous conditions and that's the thanks you get. We took a stand - we refused to sign autographs after the game."

And the gloveman felt it was right that the players made their feelings known and refused to give any of their time to the paying public after the conclusion of the match.

"We are big boys. If people take the mickey out of you or comment about the way you look that's happy days," he added to Radio Five Live.

"But if people talk about what they want to do to your mother and it starts going to a more personal level then we have to take a stand. If you do that to us, then we won't sign autographs for your kids."

Neither Hampshire or Middlesex are fancied to pull up any trees in the competition and are outsiders in Betfair's developing market for the Twenty20 tournament with Nottinghamshire trading as the 6.4 favourites and Surrey on offer at 7.

Cricket authorities will be hoping that the focus returns onto the pitch on Tuesday with three matches scheduled to take place - weather permitting.

Glamorgan (2.62) host Somerset (1.61) at Cardiff, while Sussex (2.14) take on Kent (1.85) at Canterbury and Warwickshire (1.76) entertain Northamptonshire (2.24) at Edgbaston.