LONDON – England pacer Jofra Archer has stated that he was once again the target of racist abuse on social media. The Barbados-born fast-bowler was heavily criticised over breaching the coronavirus safety protocols after the first Test against West Indies in Southampton and was axed from the side for the following game.

Archer was cleared to play in the series-decider on July 24 by a disciplinary committee after being handed a fine for his actions.

“Some of the abuse I have taken over the past few days on Instagram has been racist and I have decided that enough is enough,” he wrote in his column in the Daily Mail. “Since Wilfried Zaha, the Crystal Palace footballer, was abused by a 12-year-old online I drew a line and I will not allow anything to pass, so I have forwarded on my complaints to the ECB and that will go through the correct process.”

Not the first time

It is not the first time that the fast-bowler has been a target of racial abuse.

A fan abused the fast-bowler when he was heading to the pavilion on the final day of the first Test against New Zealand in  Mount Maunganui back in 2019.

The person found responsible was handed a two-year ban from attending international and domestic games in the country.

Cricket fraternity calls for action

Several players and associations have urged the world to take strict measures against racism.

Former West Indies captain Darren Sammy admitted that he was subjected to racial abuse by his Sunrisers Hyderabad teammates while participating in the Indian Premier League while legendary fast-bowler Michael Holding broke into tears when recalling the racial abuse faced by his parents.

West Indies and England, who are playing the three-match Test series with the Black Lives Matter (BLM) slogan printed on their jersey collars, took a knee before the start of both Test matches.

Cricket South Africa, who were banned from the game in the past during the apartheid-era, are once again embroiled in racism controversy. Paceman Lungi Ngidi has urged players to speak in favour of the BLM movement.

It triggered negative responses from former players Pat Symcox, Boeta Dippenaar and Rudi Steyn, who endorsed the “All Lives Matter” notion whereas the likes of pacers Makhaya Ntini and Vernon Philander have backed Ngidi’s stance.