Nasser Hussain: "Why run down a flight of stairs and abuse someone doing something you can only dream of?"

Former England captain Hussain accepted that Ben Stokes was wrong to retaliate but, calling on his experience as a supporter in the stands at Arsenal, lamented how some individuals act in sporting venues

• Stokes apologises for swearing at spectator

“I’m not condoning what Ben did but I don’t know how we’ve got into the situation in life where you turn up and - just because you pay your money - you think anyone in this amphitheatre is just open to circus time, and you can have a go at them.”

Nasser Hussain asked questions of spectator culture in sport after the incident involving Ben Stokes in Johannesburg on Friday.

Stokes was caught on camera calling a fan a “f*****g four-eyed c**t”, having himself been subjected to abuse from a man who reportedly ran down a flight of stairs to shout at the allrounder following his dismissal.

Former England captain Hussain accepted that Stokes was wrong to retaliate but, calling on his experience as a supporter in the stands at Arsenal, lamented how some individuals act inside sporting venues.

“There are people who sit in front of me and Raheem Sterling will come up to take a throw-in and people who have paid good money to watch quality footballers will be abusing Raheem Sterling, will be giving hand signals and dodgy signals to Raheem Sterling. I don’t get that at all,” he told Sky Sports.

“Why would you abuse someone who you’ve paid good money to go and watch? By definition, if you’re going to go and watch him, you admire that person. That South African fan who came to watch Ben Stokes must admire Ben Stokes.

^{Ben Stokes was involved in a verbal altercation with a spectator on Friday}

“I completely agree, your team has got a wicket and when you’ve got him out, get out of your seat, cheer, high five the bloke next to you. Why run down a flight of stairs and abuse someone doing something you can only dream of doing?

“I’m not condoning what Ben did but I don’t know how we’ve got into the situation in life where you turn up and - just because you pay your money - you think anyone in this amphitheatre is just open to circus time, and you can have a go at them. 

“I don’t understand it.”

Stokes is expected to be penalised for breaching the ICC’s code of conduct. The England vice-captain met with match referee Andy Pycroft at the Wanderers prior to the start of play on day two. 

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His punishment is likely to be similar to those dished out to Jos Buttler - for insulting Vernon Philander in Cape Town, and Kagiso Rabada - for his exuberant celebration following the wicket of Joe Root in Port Elizabeth, and Hussain is worried that the penalties risk taking the passion out of Test cricket.

“Sometimes we forget the emotion of a Test match, you forget the emotion of being an international cricketer,” he said.

“Kagiso Rabada… showed a bit too much emotion, Ben Stokes walking off yesterday showed a bit too much emotion.

“What makes Ben Stokes the cricketer he is? What makes him produce what he did in that World Cup final? What makes him produce what he did at Headingley? It’s because he’s got a bit of ticker and a bit of passion.

“You keep knocking Rabada, you keep knocking Stokes and you keep knocking the game, I tell you.”