BASSETERRE, St. Kitts (Reuters):

ONE WARDER and several inmates were injured in clashes on Saturday as security forces quelled a prison riot just 400 metres from Warner Park, which hosted a Cricket World Cup match.

The uprising, which passed unnoticed by the bumper crowd, as well as the tournament organisers, was suppressed by the St. Kitts and Nevis security forces with the help of a task force drawn from across the Caribbean.

The National Security Ministry issued a statement on Saturday saying the riot erupted Friday night after prisoners fought off warders who wanted to search a cell.

"The prisoners were eventually subdued and the search of the cell was conducted, resulting in a small quantity of marijuana being seized," the statement said.

"About 7:30 a.m. (1230 GMT) on Saturday ... prisoners escaped into the yard by using furniture in their cell to break down the door.

Match not disrupted

"The assistance of the security forces was requested by the prison authorities. Members of the police force and the St. Kitts and Nevis Defence Force, assisted by personnel of the CARICOM joint task force, who initially met with some resistance, quickly brought the situation under control.

"In the process, several prisoners and one prison officer were injured and received medical attention."

The incident did not disrupt the match, and International Cricket Council Communications Officer Sami-ul-Hasan told Reuters he had no knowledge of the situation.

"A prison uprising? I know nothing about that," he said. "If it was going to affect the match I would have known about it."

The multinational CARICOM task force was specifically formed to deal with security issues during the World Cup.

Holders Australia beat South Africa by 83 runs in the Group A match. The seven-week World Cup, the first in the Caribbean, culminates in the April 28 final in Barbados.