Bangladesh fans throw stones at West Indies bus

DHAKA, (Reuters) – Bangladesh fans, who greeted the  opening of the World Cup with a glorious celebration two weeks  ago, stoned the West Indian team bus today after a  humiliating defeat for the home team.
As the victorious West Indian side sat in the bus shortly  after leaving the Shere Bangla Stadium to return to the hotel  after the match, fans threw stones, two of which hit the window  and broke the glass. Nobody was hurt.
Shakib Al Hasan’s Bangladesh team had earlier been  humiliated by a rampant West Indian attack, skittled for their  lowest ever one-day international score of 58 before falling to  a nine-wicket defeat.
The attacks, although resulting in no injuries, are an  embarrassment both to the Bangladesh security forces and  government which has spent millions of dollars on player and  fans’ safety and the sport’s governing bodies.
Bangladesh’s Elite force Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) later  arrested 10 suspects for throwing stones at the bus, an official  of Rab said.
Fans had dispersed by the evening, a police official told  Reuters.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) said it knew about  the incident but there had not yet been a complaint by the West  Indies board.
“Both buses left the stadium together for the hotel. The  police convoy was never halted and both buses reached the hotel  safely with no injuries being reported,” the ICC spokesman said.
A Reuters source said that an ICC security advisor was on  the bus with the team.
The West Indian team spokesman Philip Spooner said: “A  couple of fans threw stones, two hit the window and it just  broke. No one was hurt and we are safe.
“The glass didn’t shatter. It just broke. They are back in  the hotel.”
West Indies opener Chris Gayle tweeted from the bus:  “Bangladesh stoning our bus!!! Freaking glass Break!!! This is  crap, can’t believe … what next bullets!!!!
“This is ridiculous!!! Damn!!! W Cup with so many security  an this happen!! Big Joke!!! Trust me I’m not keen here!!! …  players lay flat!!!”
A Bangladesh police officer told Reuters that the fans had  thought the bus was carrying the home team.
Security at the tournament in the sometimes volatile region  is a particularly big issue in the sport after a gun attack on  the Sri Lanka team bus in Lahore in March 2009 leading to the  deaths of eight people.
As a result, Bangladesh government diverted money from other  departments to safeguard players, officials and fans — with the  bulk of the $67 million World Cup budget spent on security.
“I apologise for the incident and I promise that such things  will not be allowed to recur,” Bangladesh Cricket Board  president Mostafa Kamal told reporters.
The mood of a crowd for the match — scene of the opening  match on Feb. 19  — had turned sour earlier after their team’s  inept display.
In a symbolic gesture of their disgust, fans laid out their  shoes on the road as the Bangladesh team bus drove through the  capital.
Mohammad Moudud, 30, a student of BRAC University, had  summed up prevailing feelings earlier: “They (Bangladesh  players) still need to learn many things. They have just marred  our party and the weekend.”
As Shakib’s hapless men trooped off with heads kept low,  fans tossed almost everything they could get their hands on —  caps, placards, logos, even jerseys — to the outfield as a  demonstration of their disappointment.
By the time the West Indian openers Gayle and Darren Bravo  returned to open the innings before their side went on to  complete the formalities of the win, loud boos circulated the  stadium, specially revamped for this tournament.
Those jeers were still reverberating after the match as West  Indian fast bowler Kemar Roach collected a second  man-of-the-match prize for his three wickets and Shakib tried to  explain away his side’s performance.
It had taken West Indies 90 minutes to polish off the  Bangladeshis with a mixture of spin and pace and Darren Sammy’s  men took 44 minutes and 12.2 overs to knock off their target.
Devon Smith was out for six, bowled by Naeem Islam, Gayle  remained unbeaten for 37 and Bravo was nine not out.