A masked group of protesters amassed outside the Marriott Hotel in Portsmouth, after reports that asylum seekers were staying there. In actual fact, the Pakistan U19 team were staying in the hotel as a base for their ODI series against England U19, with all games within striking distance of the south coastal city.
There were reportedly around 40 people outside the hotel, some wearing balaclavas or face coverings. Tensions have risen in the area over the last few days, with hundreds of protesters clashing with police on Sunday evening after a small boat carrying asylum seekers landed near the city. Protesters also gathered in Dover over the weekens, blcoking the road around the port for several hours. Police are investigating reports of criminal damage and potential assaults from the protests.
Reform councillor George Madgwick called the hotel housing the Pakistan U19 yesterday to clarify the situation. He told The Guardian it was a "massively unfortunate incident".
"I also spoke to the coach of the team, who was very understanding," said Madgwick. "I went out to the protesters and told them, 'You've got the wrong guys, it's a cricket club'. They left within a couple of minutes.
"From the perspective of the people of Portsmouth who are already on high alert, this was a coach from the same company [as transporting asylum seekers] which was turning up with about 40 foreign men."
The ECB has reportedly contacted the PCB to check on the well-being of the team and is reviewing their security arrangements. Having taken a 1-0 lead in the series in the first Youth ODI at Arundel, where they beat the England U19s by 177 runs, they will next play at Guildford on September 12. They will finish the series with two games at Wormsley on September 14 and 16.
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