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Ollie Robinson controversy: 5 instances when racism damaged cricket

England fast bowler Ollie Robinson has been suspended by England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) for his racist and sexist tweets a few years ago. Here’s a few instances when racism reared its ugly head in cricket.

Ollie Robinson suspended

London, June 7: England fast bowler Ollie Robinson has been suspended by England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) for his racist and sexist tweets a few years ago. Now, Robinson will not be considered for selection for the second Test against New Zealand at Edgbaston, starting on June 10.

While several people will not agree with the punishment especially since it happened some years ago and the Sussex bowler had apologised for it in a press conference, saying he has been matured since. But it cannot be denied that cricket has always had a slender shadow of racism looming behind it.

Here's a few instances when racism reared its ugly head on the field.

1. 'When they are down, they grovel'

England captain Tony Greig would regret the aforementioned sentence for a long time. Greig told it to a British journalist during a pre-match interview ahead of the first Test against West Indies in 1976. Though the Windies teams under Clive Llyod did not press racism charges, Greig's remark suitably fired them up, especially the fast bowlers. The result was catastrophic. England were blown away through a barrage of bouncers. "We thought, 'This guy needs to be put in his place.' He was a white South African. It smacked of racism and apartheid. He got our backs up and made us more determined," Michael Holding would say later.

2. 'Hey Osama'

Moeen Ali's revelation in his book created a storm in Australian cricketing circles. Moeen wrote one of the Aussie players told him: 'Hey Osama, take that! I could not believe what I had just heard.' It happened in the Ashes series of 2015, Moeen wrote and the Cricket Australia launched an investigation into the episode. But it ended internally without further damage as Moeen too said he had gotten over it long back.

3. 'Except that one guy'

Jofra Archer shed light on a lesser known existence among cricket fans in New Zealand - racism. The England fast bowler, playing his first overseas Test at the Bay Oval, complained to officials that one of the spectators showered racist remarks on him: 'Amazing crowd, except that one guy.' Cricket New Zealand was quick to act, offering an apology to Archer and tightening the protocols around the stadium.

4. Abe Kaale...

Pakistan captain and wicketkeeper batsman Sarfaraz Ahmed heard shouting this to South African all-rounder Andile Phehlukwayo at Durban in 2019: "Abey kaale, teri ammi aaj kahaan baitheen hain? Kya parwa ke aaye hai aaj?" (Hey black man, where's your mother sitting today? What prayer have you got her to say for you today?," Sarfaraz shouted that in Urudu and commentator Ramiz Raja was not ready to translate it despite his colleague asking him to do so, saying it is too long to translate. It created a storm later but apology by Sarfaraz helped him escape from serious charges.

5. Brown dog...

India pacers Mohammad Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah complained that a section of the Sydney crowd subjected them to racial comments like Brown dog and big monkey during the third Test last year. The match was halted for some time on Day 3 and Day 4 to locate the culprits. The in-stadium officials first warned that particular section of crowd and then showed them the door and finally arrested six spectators.

Story first published: Monday, June 7, 2021, 9:38 [IST]
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