Australian club cricketers under fire for racial abuse

The Geelong Cricket Association has launched a probe after receiving an official written complaint against ten Thomson cricketers for alleged racial abuse of opposition Indian players playing for the Waurn Ponds Cricket Club on Sunday.

According to Fox Sports, the complaint alleges six Waurn Ponds players of Indian decent were subjected to a series of racially motivated verbal attacks during Saturday's fourth-grade qualifying final at Grinter Reserve No. 2.

Witnesses claimed some of the players were reduced to tears and were considering giving up the sport after the alleged taunts.

The complaint did not name any players accused of the taunts, but said Thomson player Paul Welsh was clear of any alleged wrongdoing.

Welsh was the only Thomson fourth-grade player exempt from the racial-vilification complaint.

Thomson, however, has denied the allegations and said it would support the GCA investigation.

GCA vice president Garry McPherson, who will chair the investigation, confirmed Waurn Ponds had lodged a complaint, with the investigation set to be heard later on Wednesday.