Ponting calls for early end to racism issue

Nagpur, Oct 13 (UNI) Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting, while calling for an early end to the controversial racism issue in cricket, denounced the alleged ''monkey chants'' by fans against Andrew Symonds during the fifth cricket one-dayer against India in Vadodara on Thursday.

Ponting said the ICC Match Referee was aware of the incident and would hopefully mention it in his report.

''Racism is unacceptable anywhere in the world. You don't expect it to happen when you step out to play. He (Symonds) did not deserve it and you don't expect it to happen,'' said Ponting on the eve of the sixth ODI at the VCA stadium here.

''I was not aware of it when I was on the ground. I heard about it after the game.'' ''I know the match referee (Chris Broad of England) knows about it. He has got the chance to write about what happened on the match day. If the ICC gets it in the report they have got something to do about it,'' said the Australian skipper.

Ponting said though Symonds was upset about the issue, it should end in best interest of the game.

''Symonds was upset, but he's okay about it at the moment. So it's better we stop talking about it, which would be good for the game, I think,'' he said.

Australia has decided not to lodge a formal complaint about the incident in the Vadodara encounter, which India lost to concede a 1-3 lead to the visiting side.

UNI