Fast bowler Brett Lee feared for his life after a firecracker was thrown near him during Australia’s 36-run defeat by Pakistan at Trent Bridge.
And Australian captain Steve Waugh warned he would not tolerate a repeat of the incident during Saturday’s final when both teams meet again at the Lord’s.
"I feared for my life for the first time. I was fielding at fine leg and felt a cracker explode right next to my head, about two feet away."
"There had been crackers going off for about 42 overs at that stage, but they were basically going off in the stands which didn’t worry me that much. Once one came two feet from my head, I was worried about my eyes and that sort of thing. For once I was really scared."
Lee said he was concerned for his safety, particularly because he had sunglasses on his head.
Lee said he was uncomfortable returning to field at fine leg after the Australians returned to resume the Pakistan innings. "Steve asked if I was happy to go back and field at fine leg. I said, ‘Not if they’re going to keep throwing crackers’.
Waugh said security arrangements had improved for the Trent Bridge match but he was still unsatisfied.
"I can’t make a player stay on the field if he’s not comfortable," Waugh said. "He may get struck in the eye from a bunger that is thrown from two stories up or it might lodge in his jumper. It’s a once in a million chance but who knows, something serious could happen out there."