CA calls for anti-social crowd crackdown

Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland has called for zero tolerance to anti-social behaviour by fans following the offensive comments made towards the Australians by members of the Cape Town crowd.

Australia coach Darren Lehmann yesterday confirmed CA had lodged an official complaint to Cricket South Africa in relation to "disgraceful" comments made by Newlands spectators that targeted the touring players' wives and families.

Nine patrons were ejected on day two for abusive behaviour, including one guest of a Western Province Cricket Club member who berated Australia vice-captain David Warner face-to-face as the dismissed opener made his way back to the dressing room.

Image Id: 5CB3D770B9034C63AD9C11DCDDC0AABA Image Caption: Warner reacts to spectator // SuperSport

CA employs a zero-tolerance policy to anti-social behaviour at venues on Australian soil and Sutherland 'strongly endorses' that all grounds adopt the same approach.

"We are extremely disappointed that a small number of fans have directed such offensive and inappropriate behaviour towards our players and members of their families," Sutherland said in a statement issued Saturday morning South African time.

"Our Chairman David Peever, who is in Cape Town, has taken the matter up directly with relevant CSA officials, including President Chris Nenzani.

"We acknowledge that CSA is taking steps to ensure incidents like those yesterday are not repeated and we have encouraged the strongest possible action in response to such behaviour.

"People who behave in such a manner should not be welcome at cricket grounds anywhere in the world, and together with the ICC and all member countries, we strongly endorse a zero-tolerance approach to anti-social behaviour by fans."

Lehmann said his players had been copping abuse all series but the offensive behaviour had escalated in Cape Town to a point where action had to be taken.

"I think it's been disgraceful," Lehmann said of the crowd behaviour.

"You're talking about abuse of various players and their families and personal abuse, it's not on at a cricket ground anywhere around the world, not just here. It shouldn't happen.

"You can have the banter, that's fine, banter is good-natured fun by crowds, but they've gone too far here.

"We've written to Cricket South Africa, Cricket Australia have done that, we'll see their response, but it's been poor.

"We'll see what happens, hopefully something."

Lehmann acknowledged crowds around the world, including Australia, need to "get better at watching the game of cricket".

Former Proteas gloveman Mark Boucher "fully agrees" with Lehmann, but said on Twitter Australia's crowds have been at fault in the past – a view endorsed by his former skipper Graeme Smith.

As part of the 2017-18 CA ticket and entry conditions, fans must "not use indecent or obscene language or threatening or insulting words, or otherwise behave in a threatening, abusive, riotous, indecent or insulting manner".

CA banned a fan from attending any official cricket match in Australia for racially abusing Proteas veteran Hashim Amla in the Hobart Test of 2016, and the governing body investigates any claims of anti-social behaviour at CA sanctioned matches.

This summer, a Perth Scorchers fan was thrown out of the KFC BBL semi-final at Optus Stadium and handed a three-year ban for offensive behaviour.

"Cricket Australia takes a zero-tolerance policy against anybody looking to come to the cricket and display anti-social behaviour," a CA spokesperson said at the time.

"Those looking to do so will face action from the relevant police authority and be issued with a ban notice to all Cricket Australia matches."

Qantas tour of South Africa

South Africa squad: Faf du Plessis (c), Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Theunis de Bruyn, Dean Elgar, Heinrich Klaasen, Quinton de Kock, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Morne Morkel, Chris Morris, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Duanne Olivier, Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada, AB de Villiers.

Australia squad: Steve Smith (c), David Warner (vc), Cameron Bancroft, Pat Cummins, Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, Jon Holland, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Tim Paine, Jhye Richardson, Chadd Sayers, Mitchell Starc.

Warm-up match: Australia beat South Africa A by five wickets. Report, highlights

First Test Australia won by 118 runs. Scorecard

Second Test South Africa won by six wickets. Scorecard

Third Test Newlands, Cape Town, March 22-26. Live coverage

Fourth Test Wanderers, Johannesburg, March 30-April 3. Live coverage