Aussie crowds don’t boo a rival skipper, claims Ponting

LEEDS - Australian captain Ricky Ponting has claimed that Australian crowds do not abuse or heckle a visiting Test skipper in the way he has been heckled in England, and added that he would be disappointed if they did so.

“It is not as if I’ve done anything wrong against the crowd or against the English players. You would be disappointed if it happened in Australia,” the Courier Mail quoted Ponting, as saying.

“It doesn’t need to happen, there is no need for it to happen. I’ve spoken to a few English journalists the last couple of weeks and they have said that they’ve been disappointed about it,” he added.

Security has been tightened for the Headingley Test amid concerns the abuse could reach new levels at the Leeds ground, which has a reputation for rowdy behaviour.

England skipper Andrew Strauss has urged fans not to cross the line but insisted it did not mean they could not continue to support his side in a raucous fashion.

“We want the crowd to get right behind us. It’s always a fantastic atmosphere here. The more supporters there are for us, the better to be honest. As cricketers, you want all your fellow cricketers to be treated with respect. But that doesn’t stop them (fans) being supportive of us in any way,” Strauss said.

As crowd heckling becomes a major Ashes issue, Ponting is planning to use any further abuse to motivate him to big scores. Since blasting 150 in the first Test in Cardiff, Ponting has had little impact in the Ashes and has not passed fifty in the last two Tests. (ANI)