Australia ready to forfeit final

Australia are prepared to forfeit Saturday's triangular series final against Pakistan at Lord's if there is a pitch invasion or fireworks are thrown on to the field.

"If there is a serious pitch invasion or missiles or fireworks are thrown on to the ground, in the best of situations both teams would leave the field until it was resolved," said Australia Cricket Board chief executive Malcolm Speed.

"If that doesn't happen, then the direction the Australian team has received is that if they leave the field they will be fully supported. If that means we lose the game well then, we lose the game.

"Technically that's a matter for the umpires and the referees."

Australia captain Steve Waugh led his team from the field during Tuesday's day-night match against Pakistan after a firework landed near fast bowler Brett Lee.

Two earlier matches between Pakistan and England ended in chaos after pitch invasions.

Speed told a news conference on Wednesday he thought the plastic barriers erected at Trent Bridge for Tuesday's match had served their purpose by delaying the after-match pitch invasion.

But he added that he did not think it was inevitable that similar fencing should be provided at Lord's.

"We need to bear in mind that at this cricket ground at Lord's they're used to running major events, they ran the World Cup final and other matches with considerable success, they're used to running one-day finals," Speed said.

"I don't believe it's essential, it's a matter for the administration at Lord's to make that call."

Pakistan coach Richard Pybus said he would be "dumbstruck" if plastic fencing was not erected at Lord's.

"I would be dumbstruck if they do not repeat the security measures used at Trent Bridge," he told Reuters on Thursday.

"It would be ridiculous. If they don't, they're setting themselves up for a disaster. Security for players is paramount."

England and Wales Cricket chief executive Tim Lamb held talks with officials from the Marylebone Cricket Club on Wednesday to discuss security.

The ECB will announce what measures it intends to take at a news conference scheduled for 10 a.m. (0900) on Friday.

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Mail Cricket Editor