NOTTINGHAM, England - Australian cricket captain Steve Waugh has branded those who threw a firecracker at one of his players during their 36-run day-night loss to Pakistan here tonight as "idiots".

It narrowly missed Australian speedster Brett Lee, but prompted Waugh to lead his team off the pitch, delaying the game for almost 20 minutes before they returned after being assured it would not happen again. Security at Trent Bridge had been stepped up for the game after previous ugly scenes at Edgbaston and Headingley.

A steward was detained in hospital in Leeds on Sunday after being injured during an invasion of supporters after Pakistan's convincing victory over England.

Speaking after the game, Waugh said: "The stewards tried their best to contain things but you can't control idiots, can you?

"I took the players off and until I felt reassured about their safety we were not going to go back out there.

"Today there was an improvement in the way things were dealt with but it was still not an ideal situation.

"They put up fences but I don't think I would have been too keen if I had been a steward stood behind them."

There were 350 stewards on duty at Trent Bridge and plastic mesh was used to try to prevent the crowd swarming onto the pitch.

Australian team manager Steve Bernard told reporters that the problem would never be truly solved until the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) received the legal backing they are urgently seeking from the British government.

Britain's new sports minister Richard Caborn, who consulted ECB officials about security over the last two days, has for the time being sidestepped the ECB's call for legislation.

ECB chief executive Tim Lamb has insisted that legislation to stop trespassing is the only way to prevent a repeat incident.

But, so far, the British government appears to be stalling on a positive response.

"We'll talk to the ECB, no doubt," Bernard said. "I'm sure the ECB are committed to making this as safe as possible for us.

"But, as we've said before, the problem stems from the parameters in which they work.

"There is no legislation in cricket here that allows them to take action against people who come on to the field -- it's as simple as that.

"So, at the end of the day, they're trying all these other measures which, as good as they are, are never going to do the job which needs to be done."

Pakistan coach Richard Pybus said: "If there had been a second incident today, we would have been off the field and that would have been the end of the game.

"But, after the initial incident, the crowd quietened down and I would like to give credit to Notts County Cricket Club.

"I thought their organisation was superb."

© 2001 AAP