Speight lies injured on the pitch

Speight had been specially appointed to look after the players, but was hurt himself in the chaos which ensued.

Stewart said: "I just wanted to see how the fellow was because he was trying to protect the players out there.

"When I saw he hadn't moved for a while I wanted to say that I hoped he was all right - but obviously he wasn't.

"He wasn't really in a fit state to speak. He was lying out on a stretcher.

"He opened his eyes but whether he took in what I said or not I don't know."

Speight had been kicked and an ECB spokesman said he had sustained two broken ribs and expected damage to his spleen.

He was kept Leeds General Infirmary overnight for observation.

Positive initiatives

John Read, the ECB's director of corporate affairs, said: "We need to speak to the match referee and police to find out what the precise circumstances were.

"After Edgbaston we made some announcements about positive initiatives.

"Clearly we need to be looking at those again and the possibility of others to see what we can try to do prevent this happening again.

"There's no doubt we'll be taking this issue extremely seriously.

"We've got to sit down and have a long hard think about the best way of ensuring player, crowd and umpire safety in the future."