Symonds faces abuse yet again

The International Cricket Council may have issued the Board of Control for Cricket in India a stern warning with regard to controlling crowd behaviour after Andrew Symonds [Images] faced "abuse" in Vadodara, but it seems nothing has improved. The hard-hitting Aussie batsmen faced a repeat of the monkey chants and boos as he made his way to the crease and back during the seventh ODI in Mumbai on Wednesday. Symonds may have lasted just one delivery, but all through, even while fielding, he had to endure being taunted. Even Australia captain Ricky Ponting made his displeasure clear and said such stuff was totally unnecessary. "Some of the stuff that went on today was totally unnecessary. I hope it doesn't happen in the other cricket venue we are playing because it leaves a bad taste in everybody's mouth. "I am sure there will be a lot of embarrassed people around in this country as well when they know this sort of stuff has happened at one of their cricket venues," Ponting said in Mumbai on Wednesday, after India pulled off a thrilling two-wicket victory in the seventh ODI at the Wankhede stadium. However, this time the tourists were glad that prompt action was taken and fans ejected from the ground. "I believe action has been taken as well. A few members were arrested and taken away from the ground. That sort of stuff, as you all know, and as you all understand, is totally unacceptable any place, any time, not only in sport but in society. To have that sort of stuff happen to him again today for the second time is pretty disappointing considering how much has been made of it in the last few days," he said. Ponting expressed hope that there would not be a repeat of the taunts during the Twenty20 match at the CCI on Saturday. "But it is done now and, hopefully, it doesn't happen at the Twenty20 game [at the CCI on Saturday]. "We got a different reception here than we have in most venues. I went to the ground pretty early and went out to have a look at the wicket and they were all over me straightaway with a few different chants. We do get different kinds of reception all over the world and that is part of cricket I guess," he said. Earlier, in a joint-statement, BCCI president Sharad Pawar and Cricket Australia chairman Creagh O'Connor requested spectators not to engage in racist comments. "There is no place for racism in cricket, either on or off the field. Cricket crowds in all cricket nations are often noisy and boisterous, which is part of the fun of cricket," said the statement.
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