Amla accepts Jones's apology
2006-08-08 13:55
Melbourne - Australian cricket pundit Dean Jones returned home in disgrace on Tuesday after being sacked by his TV employers for calling South Africa's Muslim player Hashim Amla a "terrorist" during the second Test in Colombo.
Jones said "the terrorist has got another wicket" when the bearded Hashim Amla took a catch to dismiss Sri Lankan batsman Kumar Sangakkara during the fourth day's play on Monday.
Broadcaster TEN Sports, the Dubai-based TV company covering the series, sent the former Australian batsman home after a complaint from Cricket South Africa (CSA) chief executive Gerald Majola.
A contrite Jones, who will reportedly keep his commentary position on Australian radio, described his moment of madness to reporters after landing in his hometown of Melbourne.
"I waited four or five seconds and I just turned around and made a stupid, ridiculous off-the-wall comment that unfortunately was picked up in the background and, as television people always know, the microphone is always live," Jones said.
However, he also appeared to suggest there was an element of bad luck to the affair, adding: "There was only one country in the world that didn't take the ad break live and that was South Africa. It was picked up by a few viewers."
Jones, 45, said he had written a full-page apology to Amla and the South African team, as well as saying sorry to the bowler directly.
"I got hold of Hashim Amla and I spoke to him for a certain amount of time," he said. "I gave him my sincerest apologies and he was gracious enough to accept it.
"He said 'I hope you get through this ugly situation that you are going through'."
Earlier, Jones told reporters in Colombo that he respected the Muslim faith and said: "The irony is that I am great friends with most of the Pakistan team and they are all Muslims."
However, Melbourne commercial radio station 3AW reportedly had no such qualms, saying the controversy would not affect plans to use Jones as a commentator for upcoming internationals Down Under, which include The Ashes against England.
The CSA's Majola had demanded Jones's suspension and apology in a statement issued in Johannesburg on Monday night.
"We take the strongest exception to this comment and will lodge an official complaint with the host broadcaster, TEN Sports, that employs him," Majola said in the statement.
"We will be asking for his immediate suspension and a full apology.
Jones played 52 Tests and 164 one-day internationals for Australia between 1984 and 1994 and was named the Wisden cricketer of the year in 1990.
According to a poll in the Sydney Morning Herald, 50% of the voters believed Jones should be sacked from his Australian commitments as well, while 29% voted that Jones had done the honourable thing by apologising and the matter should be dropped.
The remaining 21% believed that it was a "joke" and Jones should be given his job back.