Eight die as wall collapses in India

Eight spectators died and another 50 were injured during the one-day international between India and New Zealand in Nagpur yesterday.

A section of the back wall on the second level of the recently completed eastern stand at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium collapsed as spectators were making their way out during the lunch interval. Three fans were killed and a further five died in hospital.

Witnesses said a three-metre wide section of the brick and mortar wall appeared to give way in the crush of people trying to leave the top level of the stand, which seats up to 3,000.

Some of the victims fell over the edge as the wall collapsed, plunging some 15 metres to the ground, while others were hit by falling debris. A spokesman said that officials had decided to continue with the game because "there would have been a riot if we had suspended play".

The stadium is due to host a World Cup match between Australia and Zimbabwe in March.

The former Warwickshire batsman Roger Twose was fined half his match fee by referee Peter Burge for using abusive language during the game, which New Zealand won by 99 runs.

The left-hander, who left Warwickshire to take up residency in New Zealand in the summer, was the non-striker when Sanjay Manjrekar took a catch on the boundary to send back Chris Cairns. Twose became involved in an argument with Indian fielders over the legality of the catch.

Cairns stood his ground for some time before umpire Suresh Shastri, after checking with Manjrekar whether the catch was legal, ruled him out.