Ponting calls for calm from Australian fans

Ricky Ponting has asked Australian fans to forget about the racism row that simmered during the recent ODI series when India visit Australia later this year. Andrew Symonds was subjected to monkey chants from the crowd at Vadodara and Mumbai but he still scored 365 runs in the seven ODIs and was named Player of the Series.

"I'd like to see the Australian fans and public treat the Indian team the same way they would any other team," Ponting told AAP after arriving back in Australia. "I don't think they should be treated any differently because of what's happened over there.

"I'm sure that at different times Sreesanth and a few of the guys will cop a hard time from the Australian fans. That will generally happen at some stage to most teams that tour here, but I just hope - I'll keep my fingers crossed - there's no racial stuff comes up at all through the summer."

Ponting expected the Indian players would be embarrassed by the crowds' behaviour, just as he would be if the same happened in Australia. The Daily Telegraph reported that during Saturday's Twenty20 match at Mumbai's Brabourne Stadium calls of "go home Symonds" and "Symonds sucks" were heard from the crowd.

"I am not sure why every time Symmo's name is mentioned or he comes on the screen that they boo him," Ponting said in the paper. "I actually think he has entertained the crowd quite well here over the past couple of weeks."

Symonds said all he wanted was consistency from cricket's governing bodies in dealing with racism, and he realised the offensive actions of some fans were not representative of India as a whole. "Over the past three days I have had Indian people ringing and apologising about the way they perceive I have been treated and saying, 'We don't feel this way towards you'," Symonds said.

While Symonds has been at the centre of the racism controversy in India, Cricket Australia has scrapped its plans to use him as the face of their campaign for improved crowd behaviour this summer. Instead a retired larrikin-like player will probably be sought to lead the appeal, which will focus not only on racism but also other crowd activities.