October 13, 2007	Saturday	Ramazan 30, 1428

LAHORE, Oct 12: South African all-rounder Vernon Philander and assistant coach Vincent Barnes were racially abused with monkey chants during the second Test against Pakistan on Friday, officials said.

Police removed about a dozen spectators, mostly school students, from the stadium during the match in Lahore after complaints from the South African team, officials said.

“Spectators at the Gaddafi Stadium racially abused Philander and Barnes when they were going to the nets and we complained to the police and they have handled the matter,” South African media manager Michael Owen-Smith said.

“We are not making any official complaints and we are satisfied at the handling of the matter by the police.”

The spectators, also including visiting Pakistani expatriates, were making monkey noises at the pair and also making obscene gestures at Philander, a black South African, officials said.

South Africa is currently on a one-month tour of Pakistan, playing two Tests followed by five one-day games.

“There were four or five Pakistan expats arrested and it was a racially motivated incident and at the time some of the players were practising in the nets,” Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) official Nadeem Akram told reporters.

It is the first incident in Pakistan of spectators hurling racial abuse at players, the officials said.

It comes on the same day of reports Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds was racially abused with monkey chants during his side’s one-day win over India in Baroda this week.—AFP