CA wants crowd to behave well

MELBOURNE: Australian captain Ricky Ponting has called for a packed stadium at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Boxing Day for the tour opener against India.

"A crowd of about 80,000 or 90,000 would make it really special for the players. It was really special last year against England and to have a crowd like that again would be fantastic," Ponting was quoted as saying in a local newspaper here.

Cricket Australia is also expecting a bog crowd but at the same time that want them to behave well during the match.

"The Boxing Day Test always has a large walk-up crowd on the opening day as people tend to look out the window, check the weather and, if it's good, then they go to the cricket.

"It is a real celebration of cricket and we expect the crowd to be in a great mood as they always are at the Boxing Day Test," Peter Young, CA's anti-racism officer said.

Meanwhile, efforts are being made to ensure that crowds do not indulge in anti-racism taunts during the match.

Secret anti-racism police will be at the MCG to monitor the crowd.

Cricket Australia has already announced that spectators found guilty of hurling anti-racism taunts would be handed life-bans.

Peter Young and security officials met Indian players and staff to determine which Hindi words or taunts would be considered racist to the Indians.

"We wanted to know what terms or expressions in their language would be considered offensive or racist."

"If they (anti-racism police) hear those phrases considered to be racist or offensive, then those responsible will be ejected from the ground. They face life bans from ever re-entering the ground," Young said.

Vice-captain Adam Gilchrist has also supported the strict punishment for the offenders.

"If those are the rules, those are the rules, and we are very supportive of anything stamping out racism in Australia and around the world," Gilchrist said.