Date-stamped : 24 Jan95 - 18:29 Tour Match: India v UCB of SA President's XI Jan Smuts Stadium, Pietermaritzburg (d/n), 4 December 1992 Four-bye 'fix' prevents a riot (By Peter Deeley) A NEAR-RIOT was avoided here last night when umpires and cap- tains wisely conspired in mid-over to allow the Indians four byes which gave them the match - and the chance to beat the hordes ready to rush the pitch. With armed troops poised to give protec- tion to the players from large portions of the 10,000 spectators, crowds had already prematurely rushed the ground once when India got within two runs of victory. The umpires called together Mohammad Azharuddin, who was batting, and his opposite number, Peter Rawson, captain of the President's XI. They agreed that Rawson, who was bowling at the time, should deliver a ball and that it would count as four byes. All the fielders were let in on the secret and as soon as the ball left Rawson's hands the players scuttled for the pavilion, seconds ahead of the mob. It was the only sensible conclusion and it gave India victory by six wickets with 15 balls to spare. Peter Kirsten's half-brother Gary had stolen the limelight when the President's XI batted first. A left-hander and a timer rather than a hitter of the ball, he opened the innings and was sixth out after he reached a century off 183 deliveries. For India, Tendulkar's good form with the ball -very much a Graham Gooch type of bowler - au- gurs well for the internationals ahead while with the bat Azharuddin at last found a semblance of form. His unbeaten 69 was his first half- century in 10 innings on this southern Africa tour. (from various sources, thanks to Vasa) Contributed by The Management (help@cricinfo.com)