Amla dragged into another controversy

Hashim Amla, the South African middle-order batsman who was in the news recently after Dean Jones's "terrorist" gaffe, has been drawn into another racist controversy with a Johannesburg-based electronic goods manufacturing company displaying a derogatory advertisement.

Copy Type Electronics, which distributes Toshiba, displayed an advertisement on a huge board on the N1 Highway in Johannesburg that read: "Thank goodness Amla didn't face a coolie kreeper." The word "coolie" was earlier used by whites and other racist elements to describe the Indian community but the word has now been banned along with other racist terms.

Following complaints, the company apologised to Amla and the general public and said that an employee had illegally put the message on the advertising board. "We apologise for any offence it could have caused. It is not our policy or intention to harm any ethnic group, faith or individual," said Graham Lane, a spokesperson for the company. "The necessary steps are being taken to prevent a similar incident in future."

Meanwhile, members of the South African team in Colombo have strongly denied that they jokingly referred to Amla as a "terrorist", denying the statement made by Allan Border two days ago. Border, the legendary Australian captain who is currently a selector, said he believed the South African players "jokingly" referred to Amla in the same way as Jones had.

That claim, though, has now been rejected by the South African players. "Hashim and his religious beliefs are respected by the guys," said the team's media manager, Gordon Templeton. "I can categorically deny that he has ever had that nickname, and nor has he ever been made fun of in that way." This was confirmed by bowling coach Vincent Barnes, who said Amla's religion was respected within the team, just like anyone else's. He added that claims that the team had given him the nickname "terrorist" were "rubbish".