Safety threat to Calcutta semi-final

One of the World Cup semi-finals might have to be moved from its scheduled veue, Eden Gardens in Calcutta, on 13 March unless a row with local authorities over crowd safety is resolved.

"Our confidence has been badly shaken and we are having second thoughts about hosting the 13 March semi-final." Jagmohan Dalmiya, the president of the Cricket Association of Bengal, said. Local authorities have expressed concern about the safety of a new stand at Eden Gardens stadium, which is due to increase the crowd capacity by 10,000 to 110,000. They have told the CAB it must obtain a structural safety certificate before it can stage the semi-final.

The CAB has said it was surprised the issue had been raised because Eden Gardens staged the Cup's opening ceremony last Sunday without any problems. Late on Thursday, West Bengal's Marxist state government said it would call a meeting next week with Calcutta municipal authorities to resolve the problem "once and for all".

Dalmiya said the new stand had stood the test during last Sunday's opening ceremony. "Why does the problem about its safety arise now?" he asked. The CAB president said his association was still in the dark as to which authority would issue the safety certificate. "Unless we get the all-clear signal in the next three or four days, we will not take the responsibility of holding the match," he said.

"The CAB will finalise its decision soon after placing the matter before the working committee, the general body and the board of trustees for their approval." Indian authorities have become extra cautious about safety since nine people were killed when a wall collapsed at a stadium in Nagpur last year during a one-day international between India and New Zealand.

If the CAB declines to stage the match, the future of the semi-final will be in hands of the World Cup organisers, Pilcom.

Yesterday's scheduled game between South Africa and the United Arab Emirates in Rawalpindi was postponed until today because of heavy rain.

Australia and the West Indies may face hefty fines for forfeiting their World Cup matches in Sri Lanka, according to a leading official. Inderjit Bindra, president of the Indian Cricket Board, said the agreement between Pilcom (of which he is a member) and the 12 teams stipulated the provision of the penalty in case of their forfeiting a match.

Australia and the West Indies have refused to play Sri Lanka in Colombo because of safety fears after a bomb blast in the capital on 31 January killed more than 80 people.

Sri Lanka were awarded a walkover and two points for each match after a meeting of organisers, team representatives and the International Cricket Council in Calcutta on Sunday.

World Cup update

TODAY

GROUP A: West Indies v Zimbabwe (at Lal Bahadur Shastri stafium, Hyderabad, India). TV: Sky Sports: 08.55-17.00.

GROUP B: South Africa v United Arab Emirates (Postponed yesterday - waterlogged pitch; at Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi, Pakistan). TV: Sky Sports: 03.45- 12.00.

TOMORROW

GROUP B: New Zealand v Netherlands (at IPCL Sports Complex, Baroda, India). TV: Sky Sports: Highlights 20.00-23.00.