South African cricketer Andre Nel said he had been racially abused by a member of the crowd during the third Test against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Cricket Australia spokesman Peter Young said Nel was "subjected to a racist taunt in the Afrikaans language" when he was fielding near the fence.

He reported the abuse to his captain Graeme Smith, who informed the umpires, who in turn reported it to match referee Chris Broad.

Extra security staff were sent to the section of the crowd but they were unable to identify the culprit.

Ground authorities reminded the crowd with a public announcement and a notice on the scoreboard that such behaviour was unacceptable.

All three Tests in the current series have been marred by racist incidents.

In the first Test in Perth, South African players Makhaya Ntini, Justin Prince, Garnett Kruger and Shaun Pollock were taunted in Afrikaans as "kaffirs" or "kaffir brothers".

This prompted former South African captain and chief executive Dr Ali Bacher to call for life bans for offenders.

In the second Test in Melbourne a man was ejected from the ground for making racist and offensive comments towards Nel.

Nel, a combative and whole-hearted fast bowler, was subjected to a variety of chants from the crowd on Wednesday, some of it good-natured and some of it in dubious taste.

At one stage he joined in the chanting, clapping in time and encouraging the crowd to do their worst.

He was South Africa's most effective bowler, taking 4-81 and ending the innings when he removed Adam Gilchrist for 86.

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