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Sorry, says Woolmer

South African coach Bob Woolmer has apologised to India for Hansie Cronje using an earphone to take instructions from the dressing room.

Television cameras caught captain Cronje using an earphone while fielding this morning. Woolmer said: "If I have upset anyone, then I apologise. I was just trying to be innovative."

Regretting the incident, he thought he had erred in not taking permission from the International Cricket Council before using the earphone. "All it is, is a two-way radio which allows me to talk to the players. All we're trying to do is give the players advice and help them more quickly rather than send on someone with gloves or whatever to pass on the same information."

Match referee Talat Ali was approached by the Indian team management. Ali inquired with the ICC and immediately asked the South African captain to take the earphone off.

"He had not sought permission to use it from the ICC. The World Cup is not the event to experiment with new devices without permission from the ICC," the statement said.