Ponting's parents face abuse

Australia cricket captain Ricky Ponting says his parents have received abusive phone calls following the controversial second test win over India.

"There were a few people who rang in the past few days, having a dig," Ponting told News Ltd. newspapers on Thursday. "It was disappointing for them to have to go through that."

The 33-year-old Ponting, who played the first of his 114 test matches at age 20, said his parents were forced to change their phone number following the anonymous calls criticising the Australian captain and his team.

Australia won the test by 122 runs to clinch a world record-equaling 16th consecutive win, but the win was overshadowed by a racism row and some poor umpiring decisions.

India captain Anil Kumble accused the Australians of not playing in "the spirit of the game" and the Indians late suspended their tour in protest at the umpiring and a three-test ban for spinner Harbhajan Singh, who allegedly called Australia's Andrew Symonds a monkey.

The Indians restarted the tour after the International Cricket Council agreed to replace umpire Steve Bucknor for the third test in Perth starting next Wednesday and confirmed Harbhajan could play, pending his appeal.

The Australian public seemed divided, with opinion polls showing the bulk of cricket fans agreeing the Australian team was arrogant.

Ponting rejected those claims, and has the backing of the game's national authorities, but accepted there were elements of the second test that "in hindsight you might do a little differently."

"Everyone likes to see a tough, uncompromising brand of cricket," he said. "But if there are areas in our game to improve on then obviously we need to address that.

"I don't think anyone wants the way Australia plays cricket to change." - Sapa-AP