FOUR cricket fans accused of violence after a Lord's match against Australia last summer walked free from court for a second time.

All four were arrested following an appeal on BBC's Crimewatch by police investigating an injury caused to Aussie cricketer Mike Bevan, who was hit by a missile.

Yasin Shafi, aged 18, of Oxford Road, Burnley, Haroon Qureshi, aged 20, of East Ham; Rizwan Hassan, aged 17, of Plaistow and Samiullah Khan, aged 19, of South Norwood, had pleaded not guilty at Middlesex Guildhall Crown Court to violent disorder inside the St John's Wood ground on June 23 last year.

The prosecution relied on Sky Sports footage of the mass ground invasion after the match, but Judge Timothy Lawrence ruled footage taken before the disturbance should have been released to the defence.

The case was discontinued after lawyers successfully argued their clients would not receive a fair trial because footage of a drunken and abusive Australian fan who allegedly sparked the ugly scenes was not released.

The case against Shafi and his co-defendants also collapsed at London's Horseferry Magistrates Court in February when the Crown Prosecution Service failed to secure evidence from a TV cameraman covering the game.