London, Aug 5 - Giles Clarke, chairman of the England and the Wales Cricket Board (ECB), has said that he will plead with the fans not to jeer at Australian captain Ricky Ponting during the fourth Ashes Test at Headingly.

Ponting was booed by a section of the crowd during the drawn third Test at Edgbaston and the incident prompted Clarke to write a message in the Headingley match programme. The fourth test starts Friday.

The Daily Telegraph reported that Clarke would call on the supporters to respect Ponting and all the players, while continuing their vocal support for the England team.

Clarke said that Ponting, the third-highest run scorer in Test history, has 'earned the respect and courtesy' of the crowd and that the game 'may never see his like again'. The ECB chairman will ask the supporters to respect both teams, who have provided 'exciting batting and Herculean bowling efforts'.

The Australians have played down the issue so far and have been reluctant to criticise England supporters, probably in an effort to ensure the abuse does not worsen.