CRICKET RACE ROW
ANNOUNCER STOOD DOWN AFTER INTRODUCING SPIN USING INDIAN ACCENT
A GROUND announcer was stood down on the spot after imitating an Indian accent at the Chairman’s XI v England match at Traeger Park in Alice Springs yesterday.
David Nixon, an ABC Open producer and ground announcer for the game, was stood down for introducing England spin bowler Monty Panesar to a crowd of about 2000 using an Indian accent.
The England management complained to Cricket Australia who moved swiftly to have Nixon removed, sources at the ground confirmed.
But at a press conference following the game, the players revealed they had not heard the announcement.
England’s acting captain Ian Bell said Panesar, born in Luton of Indian descent, had not heard the remarks while fielding and the team hadn’t heard of the matter until after a replacement announcer was found.
‘‘I was completely unaware until now,’’ Bell said.
‘‘As far as I know the whole team was unaware.’’
A Cricket Australia spokesperson said that the behaviour of the announcer was unacceptable.
‘‘Cricket Australia deemed the conduct of the PA announcer as inappropriate and as such he will take no further part in the match,’’ a CA spokesperson said.
As the story broke on social media, Nixon replied to tweets saying, ‘‘ it’s their event. They can run it however they choose #lamestory #makingitup’’.
‘‘Really? I love Monty P — cult hero. He should bat 3. My style didn’t fit theirs. That’s all.’’ Nixon said the incident ‘‘was not a news story’’.
‘‘I don’t want to undermine the investment made by the NT in this event,’’ Nixon told the Sunday Territorian.
The incident happened around 1.45pm when Panesar took up the ball against the Australian Chairman’s XI.
Alice Springs has a strong Indian community, many of whom had turned out at events this week with the English team in the Central Australian region to show support for Panesar.
Panesar took 3/ 41 off 19 overs as the Chairman’s XI passed the English total, declaring at 8/254 just before stumps yesterday.
Nixon’s strongly editorial style drew attention on the first day when he gave analyses of on-field events rather than simply reading facts. It’s understood CA had spoken to him during the first day and asked him to tone it down.
The most noticeable of Nixon’s remarks was when Joe Root — later unable to field with an upset stomach — struggled to cope with the sweltering heat during his innings and called for a drink at an unscripted time.
‘‘Joe Root calls for another drink,’’ Nixon informed the festival crowd, with his tone directly implying a sledge of the English opener.
That was quickly followed by the official mid- session drinks break.
‘‘Now it’s time for everyone to have a drink — including Joe Root,’’ Nixon said.
The PA banter continued even with the Australian team involved.
‘‘We’re going to have Beer before lunch,’’ he said when the home captain Michael Beer brought himself on to bowl, and there was ‘‘More Beer from the Traeger Street end’’ in the afternoon session.
But there was no more teasing after that. ‘‘I got my arse kicked,’’ Nixon explained, off- mic, later in the day. ‘‘I had the violin music ready and everything.’’
Sledging has been a hot topic since the emotional first Test match in Brisbane last week with both teams heavily involved and Australian captain Michael Clarke fined 20 per cent of his match fee after a profane stump microphone threat to English batsman James Anderson mistakenly was telecast by Channel Nine.
The Alice Springs ABC Facebook page asked readers before the match to suggest their ‘‘cheeky tips on how to introduce the English cricketers as they walk out to bat at Traeger Park’’, saying Nixon ‘‘might read out your cheeky sledges at the game’’.