Crowd race slurs target Sri Lanka

Racist crowd taunts at Australian grounds this summer have increased to include Sri Lanka, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. The paper also said John Rhodes, the ICC's regional security chief, was punched by a spectator at Melbourne's Telstra Dome as the behaviour of supporters comes under even heavier scrutiny following derogatory remarks made to South Africa's squad throughout their tour.

The report said up to five spectators were ejected from the Adelaide Oval on Australia Day for calling the Sri Lankans "black c****". The same description was yelled by Darren Lehmann, the South Australia captain, in a Brisbane dressing room after he was dismissed in a 2002-03 VB Series match against Sri Lanka, and he received a five-match suspension that ruled him out of the early stages of the World Cup. Indian supporters were also targeted at the Adelaide Oval during the 2003-04 tour.

Cricket Australia has a zero-tolerance policy on racist remarks and is reviewing its security policy after problems in each of the three Tests were carried into the VB Series. A spectator was evicted at the Gabba for a verbal attack on Shaun Pollock and South Africa's chief executive Gerald Majola said at the weekend the United Cricket Board would consider not returning to Australia because of the behaviour.

"It is not right when a country has a history like ours," he said in The Sunday Mail. "The sad thing is it has continued around Australia. It hasn't just been limited to one state or city."

The Sydney Morning Herald said Rhodes, the ICC's Anti-Corruption and Security Unit boss in Australia and New Zealand, was punched after an inebriated spectator reportedly accused him of being South African. The man was later ejected from the ground.