WELLINGTON: A New Zealand fan who racially abused England fast bowler Jofra Archer during a Test match at Mount Maunganui in November has been banned from domestic and international matches in New Zealand for two years.

New Zealand Cricket (NZC) said the 28-year-old Auckland man admitted responsibility after being identified by a police investigation.

Police issued the man with a verbal warning for using insulting language and New Zealand Cricket has contacted the man to inform him he is banned from international and domestic matches until 2022.

The man would be liable for further police action if he breaches the ban, New Zealand Cricket spokesman Anthony Crummy said.

“We’d again like to extend our apologies to Jofra and the England team management for such an unsavory incident and reiterate once more that this type of behavior is completely unacceptable,” Crummy said. “We want to thank the New Zealand Police for their efforts in identifying the person responsible, and for making it clear that this type of behaviour will not be minimized.”

Crummy said NZC would not identify the man or release information that could lead to his identification.

Archer, who is black, complained on Twitter of having been racially abused during the final day of the first cricket test in November. Police used security camera footage and witness reports to identify the person responsible.

Published in Dawn, January 15th, 2020