Siraj abused again, called `grub’ by Gabba crowd

The reported incident happened a few days after Siraj was racially abused by spectators at the Sydney Cricket Ground on the third and fourth day of the drawn third Test

Brisbane: India fast bowler Mohammed Siraj was targetted for abuse by a section of the crowd on the opening day of the fourth Test against Australia, a newspaper here reported, claiming that he was called a “grub” by some spectators.

The reported incident happened a few days after Siraj was racially abused by spectators at the Sydney Cricket Ground on the third and fourth day of the drawn third Test.

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That had led to an expulsion of six people from the stands and an unreserved apology from Cricket Australia to the visiting team. On Friday, a report in the ‘Sydney Morning Herald’ quoted a spectator as saying that a section of the crowd at the Gabba targetted Siraj.

“The guys behind me have been calling – shouting – both Washington and Siraj grubs,” a spectator named Kate was quoted as saying by the newspaper. “It started targeted at Siraj and it was a chant similar to the SCG one (in which fans sung to the tune of Que Sera, Sera but substituted the lyrics with Que Shiraz, Shiraz).

“But this time it was Siraj. I suspect it’s not a coincidence that it’s Siraj being targeted post the SCG stuff.”

According to the newspaper, at one point, a man in the crowd was heard yelling, “Siraj, give us a wave, give us a wave, give us a wave. Siraj, you bloody grub.”

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