Former Australian Test cricketer Dean Jones will resume his career as a television commentator next year after being sacked for calling a Muslim player a terrorist.
Jones, 45, lost his job with the South Asian network Ten Sports last month when viewers heard him say "the terrorist's got another wicket" as South Africa's Hashim Amla took a catch in a Test against Sri Lanka.
He later apologized for the remark, saying it was meant as a joke among commentators and was not meant to go to air.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Jones said yesterday that two Indian TV networks have employed him and that he'll return to commentating next year. He refused to name the networks but said he will be providing commentary on the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies for Indian audiences.
Jones said he has also signed a two-year deal with Australia's Southern Cross radio network.
Jones said he believed cricket followers, including Muslims, had forgiven him for the terrorist remark.
"It's an unfortunate situation, and I've apologized," he said. "I've spoken to Hashim three times already since and everything's fine. There's a few other ugly things in the world to worry about than worry about that."
Meanwhile, Cricket Australia may impose lifetime bans on spectators who racially abuse players under a new zero tolerance policy toward racism, it said yesterday.
Spokesman Peter Young said Cricket Australia would act on amendments to the International Cricket Council's anti-racism code by promoting a new hard-line policy on ground signage and on ticket packaging.
Young said Australia had yet to finalize details of its education and enforcement policies but confirmed its stance was now one of "zero tolerance." Spectators who used racist language faced eviction from grounds and possible lifetime bans.
"The planning for next summer is a work in progress," he said.
"But it is our view that we have an absolute zero tolerance towards racism and we want to ensure there is a public understanding that there is no place for racism," Young said.
Changes to the ICC's code were prompted by racial abuse directed at South African players during their tour to Australia last summer.
The code, approved by the ICC yesterday, prescribes lifetime bans for spectators who abuse players and warns stadiums might lose their international status if rules are not upheld.
Shohei Ohtani and his wife arrived in South Korea with his Los Angeles Dodgers teammates yesterday ahead of their season-opening games with the San Diego Padres next week. Ohtani, wearing a black training suit and a cap backwards, was the first Dodgers player who showed up at the arrival gate of Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul. His wife, Mamiko Tanaka, walked several steps behind him. As a crowd of fans, many wearing Dodgers jerseys, shouted his name and cheered slogans, Ohtani briefly waved his hand, but did not say anything before he entered a limousine bus with his wife. Fans held placards
Taiwan’s Tai Tzu-ying yesterday advanced to the quarter-finals at the All England Open, beating Kim Ga-eun of South Korea 21-17, 21-15. With the win, Tai earned a semi-final against China’s He Bingjiao, who beat Michelle Li of Canada 21-9, 21-9. Defending champion An Se-young defeated India’s P.V. Sindhu 21-19, 21-11. An on Wednesday cruised into the second round, unlike last year’s men’s winner, Li Shifeng, who suffered a shock defeat. South Korea’s An, the world No. 1, overcame Taiwan’s Hsu Wen-chi 21-17, 21-16 to set up the match against Sindhu. In other women’s singles matches, Taiwan’s Sung Shuo-yun lost 21-18, 24-22 against Carolina Marin of
EYEING TOP SPOT: A victory in today’s final against Storm Hunter and Katerina Siniakova would return 38-year-old Hsieh Su-wei to the world No. 1 ranking Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei and Elise Mertens on Thursday secured a spot in the women’s doubles finals at the BNP Paribas Open after dispatching Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the US and Australia’s Ellen Perez 6-2, 7-6 (7/5) at Indian Wells. Hsieh and her Belgian partner Mertens, who won the Australian Open in late January, coasted through the first set after breaking their opponents’ serve twice, but found the going tougher in the second. Both pairs could only muster one break point over 12 games, neither of which were converted, leaving the set to be decided by a tiebreaker. Hsieh and Mertens took a 6-3 lead,
DOUBLES PAYBACK: Hsieh Su-wei and Elise Martens avenged their defeat in the quarters at the Qatar TotalEnergies Open against Demi Schuurs and Luisa Stefani Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei on Wednesday advanced to the semi-finals of the women’s doubles at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California. Hsieh and partner Elise Mertens of Belgium dispatched Demi Schuurs and Luisa Stefani 6-1, 6-4 to set up a clash against Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the US and Australia’s Ellen Perez for a spot in the final of the WTA 1000 tournament. Hsieh and Martens made a blistering start to their rematch after they lost to Schuurs and Stefani in the quarter-finals at the Qatar TotalEnergies Open last month, winning three games without reply at the start of the first set