Delhi organisers caught out of tune

It made for a pleasant sight. With both teams lined up in the middle, listening proudly to their national anthem with schoolchildren carrying the flags of both the countries.

It made for a pleasant sight. With both teams lined up in the middle, listening proudly to their national anthem with schoolchildren carrying the flags of both the countries.

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Unfortunately, a goof-up turned it into the most forgettable moment of the day. The South African anthem had not been played even half when it stopped abruptly, leaving the players confused.

Even as they stood clueless for a while, help came from the stands, with some 50-odd fans picking up the anthem from where the music system lost it, completing at the top of their voices to the delight of their team.

"It's a shame. They had not played it even one third when they stopped it," said Pierre, who had travelled from Durban. "Anyway, we're glad we were here in good numbers to complete it." Some others were furious. The ICC apologised and said the goof-up was due to a technical glitch.