Usman Khawaja's awful admission about kids amid Ashes crowd controversy
The Australian star has lifted the lid on some of the abuse the tourists have received during the Ashes.
Usman Khawaja has revealed he wouldn't take his kids to watch an Ashes Test match as a spectator due to some of the vile things he's heard from members of the crowd. The Aussies have copped a raft of abuse from fans throughout the Ashes series in the UK, with things coming to a head after Alex Carey's controversial stumping of Jonny Bairstow in the second Test.
The tourists were labelled 'cheats' by spectators during the second and third Tests, while Khawaja took exception to abuse he received from an MCC member in the Long Room at Lord's. Three members of the Marylebone Cricket Club will face a King's Counsel this week over alleged abuse of Australian players during the second Test.
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Speaking to reporters this week, Khawaja opted not to comment on the matter as the trio await a decision on whether they will be expelled from the MCC altogether. But the veteran opener revealed how Australian players and family members have been sworn at and labelled cheats, and the 36-year-old said he was concerned about the behaviour of fans in general.
England players have pointed out that they've always copped similar treatment in Australia, but Khawaja said it was irrelevant which country the abuse took place in. "I don't agree with it either way. I don't think it's the right thing to do," Khawaja, who has two young daughters with him in the UK, said.
"If I am coming to the cricket and watching the cricket, I wouldn't want my kids to be around that. If I saw that I would 100 per cent make a complaint or just leave. Some of the stuff can be pretty poor.
"Over at Edgbaston they were calling Travis Head a c***, you know what. I can't believe you can actually say that in a public domain anywhere.
"I know, watching a lot of sport and loving sport, that it happens around the world. It can be a little disappointing at times. We can take it too far in Australia. I'm not a big fan of it."
Khawaja said the behaviour of fans "doesn't bother me" after a lifetime playing elite sport, but that he would continue to report comments that concerned him. According to AAP, kicks were aimed at other Aussie players as the team walked up the internal stairs in the pavilion at Lord's.
Usman Khawaja saves Australia Test points and fines
Meanwhile, Khawaja has helped his teammates save close to $230,000 in fines and boosted their next World Test Championship campaign after he was involved in high-level talks with the International Cricket Council (ICC) on over-rates. Aussie players had been set to be docked 40 per cent of their $18,000 match fee for slow play in the first Test at Edgbaston, and 100 per cent in the second at Lord's.
The team also stood to lose 13 Test Championship points for the two games, after being deemed two overs behind in the first Test and 11 in the second. A win in the tournament is worth 12 points.
Khawaja said he felt compelled to contact ICC General Manager Wasim Khan, having worked with him previously while playing in the Pakistan Super League. "I just thought someone has to find a way to speak to the ICC about it," Khawaja said.
"We had played three games and they'd been three really good games with results, entertainment. And we were getting fined a lot of money.
"It's just really frustrating as a player, you are giving it your all out there, providing entertainment, then you are getting stung for it. Wasim took the feedback. It's the first time (since) I've been involved that something like that has happened at the ICC. It's a really good step forward."
with AAP
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