An English match referee on his way to officiate at Pakistan's test match with Sri Lanka was praised for his bravery today after diving on top of a local umpire to save his life during this morning's gun attack.
Chris Broad was seen walking around in a blood-stained shirt in the minutes after the ordeal, which saw a dozen heavily-armed militants attacking the Sri Lankan team bus, injuring nine team members and officials and killing at least six people.
Broad, the father of England fast-bowler Stuart, was one of several match officials and umpires travelling in a minibus directly behind the Sri Lankan vehicle when it was attacked.
According to an account given by Nadeem Ghouri, the Pakistani test umpire also travelling in the minibus, the Englishman dived on top of Ehsan Raza, the fourth umpire, in an attempt to protect him after he was critically wounded. Mr Raza, who was shot in the back, was said to be in a critical condition in hospital today.
The Sri Lankan team were attacked as they made their way from their team hotel to the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore to play in the second day of their five-day test against Pakistan.
“It was horrifying. There were bullets flying around us and we didn’t know what was happening,” Mr Ghouri told the Reuters news agency.
“When the firing started we all went down on the floor of the coach. Our driver was killed instantly from a shot from the front.”
He added that, after Mr Raza was wounded, Broad – a former England opener in his playing days – lay on top of him to protect him. “It was very brave,” he added.
Following the shooting of the driver, a local policeman was then asked to drive the minibus to the stadium.
Broad's bravery was also praised by Dominic Cork, the former England cricketer, who said he told him he had suffered "the most frightening experience of his life".
The Foreign Office later confirmed that the Sri Lankan team’s British assistant coach, Paul Farbrace, was among seven injured in the attack, which threatens to leave Pakistan isolated in the world of international cricket.
Cork became the first to call for a boycott Pakistan amid growing security concerns. The Sri Lankan team had only agreed to play the series as replacements for India, who pulled out amid deteriorating diplomatic relations following the Mumbai terrorist attacks.
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Respect sir
