The scourge of one-day tournaments on the subcontinent used to be bookmakers; now it seems it is prostitutes. Elite police units deployed to guard the teams taking part in the Champions Trophy tournament have apparently been battling to keep women away from the players' hotel rooms. But police say the cricketers have been getting wise to their tactics. In addition, the police lodged a formal complaint with ICC last week after three women were found in the rooms of Ricky Skerritt, the West Indian manager, and Garfield Smith, their computer operator.

"We are not making a moral judgment but are simply trying to enforce the 'access control' guidelines issued to us by the cricket authorities," a top police official said. He said one of the women found in the company of the West Indian players was a daughter of a former Sri Lanka police chief. Another girl was a 17-year-old student.

Police said the women had been in the rooms of the two West Indians with their consent, but the authorities intend to investigate whether the women had criminal records or were linked to bookies.

According to police, some of the players have been leaving their hotel to sidestep the tight security at the deluxe Taj Samundra, where plain-clothes policemen have been deployed to check on anyone meeting the players.

Sri Lanka's Sunday Leader newspaper said players were seen trying to pick up women at the Taj Samundra, and two women reporters were allegedly propositioned in the hotel lobby by unnamed players. All in all, it's just not cricket.

© Wisden CricInfo Ltd