New Zealand Cricket (NZC) reprimanded a stadium announcer for “playing the cash register sound” as a taunt during one of Mohammad Amir’s spells in the third Twenty20 International between Pakistan and New Zealand in Wellington, ESPNcricinfo reported on Wednesday.
Mark McLeod, a long-time NZC contracted announcer, later apologised to the Pakistan team for his actions. NZC chief executive David White said the announcer has now been publicly reprimanded.
“I think [playing the sound effect] was inappropriate and disrespectful, and has the effect of trivialising one of the biggest issues facing cricket at the moment,” White was quoted as saying by Fairfax New Zealand. “I've contacted the Pakistan team management to apologise, and to assure them there will be no repeat.”
Amir is making a comeback from a five-year ban following his conviction in a spot-fixing scandal in 2010. The 23-year-old fast bowler, however, didn’t get a good reception.
Earlier on Monday, as Amir ran in to bowl at the pacy Basin Reserve during the first one-dayer, a section of the crowd began to taunt him. But what left him disturbed was when an individual from the same section of the stands began waving currency notes.
Observing the situation from a distance, Pakistan’s senior players and former captain Mohammad Hafeez had stepped in to the young fast bowler’s rescue. Hafeez and the other players reported it to the team’s security in-charge and the ground staff was requested to intervene.
The Basin Reserve’s security proceeded to the stand and issued a sound warning to that individual. Sources speaking after the match said the person in question was told to ‘behave’ or face ejection from the stadium.
White said “NZC are content in giving spectators a degree of freedom, as long as their behaviour did not constitute abuse”. “A member of the public in the stands having a bit of banter and humour - it's different,” he was quoted as saying by Radio Sport.
“We can't direct people how to behave all the time. There's a line of drunken disorderly abusive behaviour but stadiums are full of people in groups together, around the world there is banter. I guess there is the line that people need to stay within.”
