Former Test star Ritchie's race slur

Trouble ... Greg Ritchie is under the spotlight for several controversial remarks. Source: Peter Bull / News Limited

Former Australia Test batsman Greg Ritchie has confirmed using the 'kaffir' term during a luncheon at the Gabba Test, but insists he did not use the racial slur to offend South Africans.

A South African newspaper has reported that former Australia and Proteas batsman Kepler Wessels, an ex-teammate of Ritchie's, is considering legal action after being implicated in the rant, made at a private Gabba function on Friday.

The Proteas camp are outraged at the racial remark, condemning Ritchie's comment as "disappointing and despicable."

Ritchie, who played 30 Tests between 1982-87, also stunned the audience with an anti-Muslim joke and referred to Pakistan cricket great Imran Khan as an "absolute knob".

Ritchie delivered the racial slur while recounting an anecdote of his days playing with Wessels for Queensland in a tour match against the West Indies in 1980.

South Africa's Sunday Times reported that Ritchie recalled Wessels about to go out to bat to face the West Indies and telling the former Australian left-hander: "Hey Kepler, you're not going to call this lot kaffirs today, are you?"

But speaking exclusively to News Limited online today, Ritchie said he did not mean to cause offence using the term, considered a highly-derogatory description of black people in South Africa and actionable under South African law.

"I did make the remark and I said it as a joke, in a story I tell about the West Indies in a game I played with Kepler in 1980," he said.

"I am aware of what it is going on, I have told the story 500 times during the course of my speaking career.

"I do it verbatim, the remark is in no way at all derogatory to anyone if you hear the word in the context of the story I tell.

"It is to emphasise the fear I had playing against the West Indies. It is a shocking term and it relays the great fear that we all had about facing the West Indies bowling.

"It's disappointing to think this has become an issue. I do a lot of public speaking around the world and I tell the story all the time.

"Kepler and I are great mates and that hasn't changed in my view.

"I don't feel the need to apologise because I wasn't using it maliciously, it was a bit of satire and people at the function who heard the story in full understand the context in which I said it."

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It is understood Ritchie's voice was clearly audible on the public address system loudspeakers in the vicinity of a Brisbane Cricket Ground dining room.

Wessels yesterday distanced himself from the remark, which is considered so derogatory it is actionable under South African law.

"Thats a disgraceful, offensive and libellous comment to make," an angry Wessels told the Sunday Times newspaper.

"It's certainly not what I'm about and everyone who knows me will know that.

"I have no idea what he might be referring to - I haven't even spoken to him since the early 80s."

Ritchie also showed a penchant for Islamophobia.

"I've got nothing against the Muslim people," he said. "Just this morning I had to try and stop three little muslim boys trying to break the lock on my car boot.

"I had to say, 'Shut up! You're in there for a reason!'."

Ritchie knew he was crossing the line – "You can't say that kind of thing, can you?" – even as the crowd roared with laughter.

He also had special words for one of Pakistan's and cricket's greatest players: "He's an absolute knob is Imran Khan, that's the only way to describe him."

Asked about the Islamic joke and the comments about Imran Khan, Ritchie said: "Again, the Muslim stuff was a joke and it's true I don't like Imran Khan, I don't have to like every cricketer I played against."

The South Africa touring party in Australia includes two black Africans and four Muslims, most notably Hashim Amla, who was dismissed for 104 on day three at the Gabba.

"If that is what was uttered, it is both disappointing and despicable for someone to make these racist comments," Proteas team manager Mohammed Moosajee said.

"Racism has no place in society and in sport."

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