The Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting has backed the gaffe-prone all-rounder Andrew Symonds to tour South Africa, after Symonds made disparging remarks about New Zealand batsman Brendon McCullum on a radio show.
Cricket Australia is seeking answers from Symonds after he called McCullum a lump of cow excrement and again criticised the decision by New South Wales to sign McCullum to play Twenty20 cricket for them.
Ponting says Symonds is a vital part of Australia's plans in the republic.
The five-match one day series is locked up at one all with the possible decider on Monday at Adelaide Oval.