SYDNEY, Jan 7: Ricky Ponting should be applauded for taking a strong stand against racism and reporting Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh for an abusive comment he made about Australia’s only black player, the head of the Australian players’ union said.

Harbhajan was banned for three Tests for calling all-rounder Andrew Symonds — an Australian of Caribbean descent — a monkey during the controversial Test, which ended on Sunday.

Harbhajan denied making the comments but the International Cricket Council banned him on the evidence presented by the Australian players.

“I am satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that Harbhajan Singh directed that word (monkey) at Andrew Symonds and also that he meant it to offend on the basis of Symonds’s race or ethnic origin,” ICC match referee Mike Procter said in a statement.

The incident came just two months after ugly racial scenes in India when Symonds was taunted by spectators with monkey chants.

Ponting and Indian captain Anil Kumble were told by the ICC before this series began that any racist incidents had to be reported to the umpires.

But Ponting was heavily criticised by several former players, including ex-England captain Tony Greig, for not resolving the issue on the field.

Paul Marsh, the president of the Australian Cricketers’ Association (ACA), said the attacks on Ponting were unwarranted.

“Comments that criticise any person for not sweeping racism under the carpet are unacceptable and ignorant,” Marsh told The Sydney Morning Herald. “He should be applauded, not criticised, for having the courage to take a stance against racism.”

Greig, who was involved in a racism row in 1976 when he said he wanted to make the West Indies team “grovel”, then was suspended in 1999 from his job as a television commentator for making a disparaging remark about an Asian bride, accused the Australians of hypocrisy.

“No one can tell me that there is not a bit of verbal going in the direction of the Indians from the Australians and every now and then in the heat of the moment something comes back the other way,” Greig said.

“I don’t want to be too nasty about it but the Australians find it a bit difficult to deal with some of these issues when the going is a bit tough.”

Ponting also came under fire from Indian journalists at Sunday’s post-match news conference and was incensed when his integrity was questioned by members of the travelling press corp.

“If you are actually questioning my integrity in the game, then you shouldn’t be standing there,” Ponting snapped at one reporter.

The ill feeling continued when Kumble held his news briefing with the Indian media contingent complaining about Ponting’s response.

The conference ended with Indian reporters standing and applauding Kumble for evoking memories of the infamous Bodyline series by uttering the comment “only one team was playing with the spirit of the game.”—Reuters