Waugh, as promised, led his players from the pitch when a firecracker almost hit bowler Brett Lee in the outfield towards the end of the Pakistan innings.

The players resumed play after an 18-minute delay and Pakistan went on to grab a superb 36-run victory - but not surprisingly the post-match focus again concentrated on the crowd trouble.

Waugh praised the ground authorities for their efforts to contain the trouble by using temporary plastic perimeter fencing and increased numbers of stewards.

But he was incredulous at the actions of the fans who invaded the pitch.

"They tried their best. But you cannot control idiots, can you?" said the Aussie skipper.

"I cannot understand people paying �10 or �15 and then thinking they can do what they want.

"You see the way they behaved after the game too - that is not normal behaviour."

Waugh understands that the England and Wales Cricket Board have no legislation they can use to prevent such situations but nonetheless made a suggestion.

"The only way to stop that is to make sure there are no fireworks brought into the ground, but it is not easy to do that."

He made it clear there was no way he was going to bully his players into staying on the pitch if they felt they were in danger.

"If the players do not want to be out there it is very hard to convince them they should - so until I felt reassured and safe we were not going to go back out there.

"I cannot make a player stay out on the field if he is not comfortable, if he thinks he might get hit by something thrown at him."

Waugh explained exactly what happened to Lee just before, at the 45-over mark of Pakistan's innings, Australia left the field.

"He said it (the firecracker) missed him by three or four feet. Besides the fact it could have hit him it was the noise it made.

"Michael Bevan had had those noises around him for 10 overs, and Brett was also concerned about the crowd. One kid was treated by paramedics - so it was not just the players; it was the crowd as well.

"Brett did not really want to go back out there, but I thought it was in the best interests of cricket to get out there again."

Despite the enforced break in proceedings, which had echoes of England captain Alec Stewart's concession of the match to Pakistan in Leeds three days ago, Waugh felt progress is being made to try to keep the crowds at bay.

"Today was an improvement, but it is still not an ideal situation.

Blame

"I would not be too keen if I was a steward standing behind it (the fencing).I think they are in more danger than us."

Pakistan coach Richard Pybus gave his full support for the decision Waugh took and laid the blame squarely on the same elements in the crowd.

"It was some idiot in the crowd who did not have a great deal of common sense and chucked a firecracker on," said the Pakistan coach.

"In view of what has happened Steve led the boys off. We had agreed beforehand that if anything happened the players would come off."