New Zealand captain Kane Williamson strongly condemned the racist jibes directed at England’s Jofra Archer by a spectator during the Bay Oval Test and joined his country’s cricket board in apologising to the pacer over the incident.
The racist abuse was “against everything that we as Kiwis are about, and I certainly hope that nothing like that ever happens again”, Williamson told stuff.co.nz. “I can only apologise on behalf of Kiwis to Jofra, not only from our team and how we look to conduct ourselves, but what we expect of Kiwis in general.”
Archer had revealed on social media that he had been the target of abuse from a spectator on the final day of the first Test, which England lost by an innings. New Zealand Cricket were quick to tender an apology to the Barbados-born speedster, and joined the England and Wales Cricket Board in promising an investigation and stern action against the as yet unidentified miscreant.
Williamson said he was “100 per cent” shocked upon hearing what had happened. “It’s a horrific thing. In a country, and a setting where it is very much multi-cultural, it’s something we need to put to bed quickly and hope nothing like that ever happens again. It certainly won’t if there’s any influence we can have on it.”
"Charles Colvile and Alec Stewart’s spicy repartee over on ‘The Debate’ also contributed a rather curious frisson."
An alternative look at the first New Zealand v England Test.https://t.co/AeISOeSY93
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) November 25, 2019
David White, the NZC chief, said the board were inclined to ban the spectator from all cricket grounds following their investigation.
White revealed that he had met Archer. “I said we’re very, very disappointed and I think he was appreciative of me making the effort to go and see him.”
[breakout id=”0″][/breakout]
Meanwhile, Ashley Giles, managing director of England Men’s cricket, confirmed that Archer had heard the comments while walking back after his obdurate knock in the second innings and had reported it immediately to security and stewards.
“You know what our team is like, they’ll rally round him pretty well but it’s a serious incident,” he told press persons on Tuesday. “He’s a young man making his way in the game and we don’t need this sort of thing. It’s a shame that sort of thing is still in our society.”
