Shane warned for throwing balls back at the crowd

Australian cricket's naughty boy Shane Warne was cautioned by police for throwing tennis balls back into the crowd during the opening one-day match of the summer in Melbourne, police said on Friday.

The incident occurred during Thurday's tedious, one-sided match in which some commentators said there was more action off the field than on it as the mercury soared, hitting 41 degrees Celsius (105 degrees Fahrenheit) at one stage.

Police Commander Leigh Gassner said an officer asked Warne to "desist" from throwing balls back into the crowd after they were hurled onto the turf of the Melbourne Cricket Ground .

It was Warne's first match after a long absence due to a broken finger, but he failed to take a wicket in a match in which Australia gave the West Indies a 74-run drubbing.

Police arrested 34 spectators, mainly for drunkenness, and evicted 166 people -- almost three times the number of arrests and twice the number of evictions compared to the first one-day game last summer.

Few appeared to pay much attention to a plea for good behaviour by Australian vice-captain Adam Gilchrist.

Gassner said the high temperatures were a factor in the crowd behaviour.

"The hot weather and alcohol can tend to mix into a cocktail particularly when you're getting 41 degrees," he said. He said the number of arrests and evictions was disappointing but it also showed police determination to crack down on unruly behaviour.

"I hope yesterday's evictions send a strong message for those who think they can come to the MCG and stir up trouble," he said. "The bottom line is they are just not welcome."

Crowd surveillance cameras proved a vital tool police in crowd control measures.

"They are able to detect people mixing drinks, throwing objects and spraying water," he said.

Mail Cricket Editor