Archer abuser was English, say spectators
Two spectators at the Black Caps v England cricket test say they heard a racist comment directed at Jofra Archer – and claim it came from an England supporter.
Their claim contrasts with the wide belief that it was a New Zealand supporter who abused Archer
Archer said he was racially insulted while batting on the final day of the test at Bay Oval in Mt Maunganui on Monday.
After the match, he posted a message on Twitter, saying in part: ‘‘A bit disturbing hearing racial insults today whilst battling to help save my team, the crowd was been amazing this week except for that one guy.’’
Two Tauranga brothers have told The Bay of Plenty Times they were sitting near the scoreboard when close to them a man wearing a black top yelled out a racial insult while Archer was batting.
They both said the man was clearly an English supporter with what sounded like an English accent, who was ‘‘cheering or jeering his own team’’.
‘‘He was an English supporter. He definitely wasn’t a New Zealand supporter, he never once mentioned a New Zealand player,’’ one of the brothers said.
‘‘This guy chose quite quiet, specific times, when the bowler was just walking up to his run-up so it was quiet and he’d yell out,’’ one brother said.
However, they cautioned that if the remark was made as Archer walked off the field then it was unlikely to be the same spectator as they did not hear him yell anything then.
New Zealand Cricket had no comment when asked about their claims. Earlier yesterday, NZC public affairs manager Richard Boock told Stuff they were ‘‘following a couple of leads’’.
In a column in the Daily Mail,
Archer said he was dismayed that people in the crowd did not intervene after the racial abuse he suffered.
‘‘I don’t want to go into the details of what was said but I know what I heard. I thought members of the crowd around the guy might have pulled him up because I could hear him from the pitch as I was walking off,’’ Archer wrote.
‘‘I guess they didn’t. But I know I wasn’t hearing stuff. I told the security guard what had happened and that was it.’’
Archer and his England team are in Hamilton for the second test starting tomorrow, as New Zealand Cricket promises extra security personnel in plain clothes will patrol Seddon Park.
NZC is confident it can identify the culprit of Monday’s abuse.