Aus cricketer called Moeen ‘Osama’?

Cricket Australia (CA) investigate England all-rounder Moeen Ali's claim he was called 'Osama' by opposition player during 2015 Ashes.

The governing body says it takes the allegation, revealed in an extract of Moeen's autobiography published in The Times this week, "very seriously" and that conversations have already been held with the ECB over the issue.

Moeen did not name the individual he accuses of uttering the racial slur in his book.

He wrote: "It was a great first Ashes Test in terms of my personal performance, however there was one incident which had distracted me.

"An Australian player turned to me on the field and said, 'Take that, Osama'. I could not believe what I had heard. I remember going really red. I have never been so angry on a cricket field."

Osama bin Laden was the al-Qaeda leader.  

A CA spokesperson told cricket.com.au: "Remarks of this nature are unacceptable and have no place in our sport, or in society.

"We have a clear set of values and behaviours that comes with representing our country.

"We take this matter very seriously, and are following up with the ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board) as a matter of urgency to seek further clarification around the alleged incident."

Moeen stated in his autobiography that the Australian player in question subsequently denied saying the word "Osama".

"I told a couple of the guys what the player had said to me and I think (England coach) Trevor Bayliss must have raised it with Darren Lehmann, the Australians' coach," he wrote.

"Lehmann asked the player, "Did you call Moeen Osama?" He denied it, saying, "No, I said, 'Take that, you part-timer'."

"I must say I was amused when I heard that for there is a world of difference between the words 'Osama' and 'part-timer'."

"Everyone you speak to...they are the only team I've played against my whole life that I've actually disliked," Ali told Britain's The Times newspaper.

"Not because it's Australia and they are the old enemy but because of the way they carry on and (their) disrespect of people and players," added the 31-year-old, who is known as a mild-mannered character on and off the field.

"The first game I ever played against them, in Sydney, just before the 2015 World Cup, they were not just going hard at you, they were almost abusing you," the Worcestershire stalwart explained.

"That was the first time it hit me. I gave them the benefit of the doubt, but the more I played against them they were just as bad, the Ashes here (in England in 2015) they were worse actually.

"Not intimidating, just rude. Individually they are fine and the Aussies we've had at Worcester have been fantastic, lovely guys."

"I'm someone who generally feels sorry for people when things go wrong but it's difficult to feel sorry for them," he said.