MELBOURNE, Jan 20: Proteas fast bowler Morne Morkel was reportedly called a “kaffir” by a spectator during the second ODI against Australia at Hobart but the visitors have decided not to snowball the insult into a major issue.

Instead, South Africa hope that captain Graeme Smith’s Sydney Test heroics will win over Aussie fans and avoid another ugly racism row before Friday’s One-dayer at the SCG, a newspaper report said. The spectator was arrested and charged by Tasmanian police for using offensive language.

Proteas team manager Mohammad Moosajee said the one-off incident on the Apple Isle would not derail the tourists.

“I must say, compared to three years ago, it’s been amazing being in Australia and the way we’ve been treated by the crowds,” Moosajee was quoted as saying by the ‘Daily Telegraph’.—Agencies