Ramps Reveals Aussie Abuse

[Gambit]

Ramps Reveals Aussie Abuse Mon 14 Jan, 05:09 PM Former England batsman Mark Ramprakash has admitted one of the few times he encountered racism on the cricket field was when he played against Australia. Ramprakash also confirmed he believed former Surrey team-mate Harbhajan Singh to be innocent of the charge of alleged racist abuse towards Australia all-rounder Andrew Symonds. Harbhajan was given a three-Test ban after match referee Mike Procter upheld a complaint that he called Symonds a "monkey" in an ill-tempered second Test in Sydney. But Ramprakash, whose father was born in Guyana to Indian parents, insisted the spinner is not the kind of character to use such words. "There's certainly no problem with racism in county cricket and overall I wouldn't say the game in the international arena suffers from it really," Ramprakash said. "Of course I've played cricket for a long time now and you expect it (racism) now and again from a few supporters who are tanked up after drinking all day. "The only time I've suffered any abuse of a serious racial kind in international cricket is against the Australians so I'm not sure what that says about them. "I've played with Harbhajan for two seasons at Surrey and having got to know him well it's not the kind of thing I imagine he would say. "Some of the younger players in the India side especially said they would not shy away from having a bit of chat back after the series they played in India last year, so perhaps things have got out of hand a bit." The 38-year-old said when he played against Australia he did not let their policy of 'mental disintegration' affect him. Indeed Ramprakash averaged 42 against Australia, which included a stylish 133 against them at The Oval in 2001, his first Test century in England. "As for the sledging, it is something that Australia have always done," Ramprakash added. "This isn't something which has got worse - they play the game hard and trying to put you off by sledging is the way they have always played the game. "It's how you deal with that that is important. I always turned it into something to inspire me and make me more determined to prove them wrong." Ramprakash was speaking at the British Asian Sports Awards (BASA) which recognises and celebrates the achievements of British Asian sporting talents from across the United Kingdom. The former Middlesex batsman, who last appeared in England colours against New Zealand in 2002, was full of praise for BASA in helping raise the profile of talented amateur and semi-professional South Asians involved in sport. He said: "When I was growing up in the UK, there was nothing like BASA to encourage more of us from the South Asian community to pursue a professional career in sport. "However, this awards programme is a fantastic opportunity to not only recognise the many sporting Asian stars this country has to offer but also support many more to come forward." http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/14012008/4/ramps-reveals-aussie-abuse.html

[King Tendulkar]

O dear aussies exposed for what we knew. The pioneers and leaders of racist and unsporting behaviour in cricket.