'Boozed-up UCB boss threw his name away'

The United Cricket Board's general council is to discuss reports that its president, Percy Sonn, was drunk and abusive at a Cricket World Cup match between India and Holland at Boland Park in Paarl on Wednesday.

UCB chief executive Gerald Majola said: "We are aware of the reports. I have spoken to Percy and he will get the opportunity to discuss the matter with the UCB general council in the next few days. It would be inappropriate for the board to make any further comment."

Sonn said: "I am a person who likes my liquor. I was not confronted (at the match) and I don't know what I was supposed to have done. If I used foul language, it was most probably suitable to the circumstances."

One of the reported witnesses, veteran racing driver Sarel van der Merwe, was reported as having said Sonn "literally fell out of his pants" and had staggered about among the private suites.

"One could see that the chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board, who was there as his guest, was most embarrassed," Van der Merwe said.

Other witnesses reportedly said Sonn had verbally abused members of the public.

Some political parties have called on Sonn to apologise.

Six years ago, almost to the day, Sonn - then vice-president of the Western Province Cricket Association - defended himself against accusations of excessive drinking and abusive language at a post-match function.

Sonn had allegedly told an SABC commentator from cricket's apartheid era, Martin Locke, to "f... off back to Rhodesia".