India furious over breach of security

First Test: Tourists angered by spectator's 'unacceptable' intrusion on to field after Tendulkar's dismissal in war of attrition

India last night expressed anger and anxiety over a serious breach of security during the first Test at Lord's in which a spectator was able to get on to the playing area and approach Sachin Tendulkar.

The man, an Australian in his thirties, emerged from the Pavilion, hopped over the low fence in front of the Bowlers' Bar and made his way quickly towards the departing Indian batsman. The stewards observed the MCC policy of not approaching the spectator.

Smartly dressed, he walked briskly up to Tendulkar, looking for all the world like an MCC official – and, as things turned out, he was an MCC member, that is, of Melbourne Cricket Club. The clubs have a reciprocal arrangement which allows each other's members to visit Tests on their grounds on the fourth and fifth days.

The man appeared to try to put his arms around Tendulkar, then danced behind him waving his arms and punching the air before slipping ahead of the batsman and making his way up the Pavilion steps and into the Long Room, where he was finally apprehended by MCC stewards and held until police arrived and arrested him.

The India manager, Ranga Reddy, said: "We were surprised and shocked when we saw the man run out on to the pitch. We had been told security would be tight. The man could have been a terrorist. It could have been a complete disaster.

"I will be in contact with my board and they will take the matter up with the ECB [England and Wales Cricket Board]. It is unacceptable."

The MCC secretary, Roger Knight, last night admitted: "That was a potentially very serious incident and I have spoken to the Indian manager and coach and said we are desperately sorry. I will also be talking to Sachin Tendulkar as well.

"There was a reaction from the stewards but it didn't happen quickly enough. It is normal practice after every game for us to sit down with the police and security people and discuss how we handled incidents in a match. We will now bring that procedure forward for this."

The Indians' disappointment and anger is understandable especially in the light of the extraordinary lengths to which they went in order to ensure England's security and well-being on their tour of the sub-continent last winter in the wake of September 11 and the subsequent military action in Afghanistan

In a separate incident at 9.25 on Saturday evening a distinguished Indian broadcaster, Harsha Bhogle, alleged that he was abused by an MCC steward when trying to get back into the ground just moments after leaving it in order to make a last-minute radio update away from traffic noise.

Bhogle also alleged that one of his assistants was pushed to the ground by an MCC steward, who was holding a bottle of beer in his hand. Yesterday the MCC announced that it had launched an inquiry into the incident and would be examining security camera footage "to clarify a couple of issues".