Durban: Controversial South African batsman Herschelle Gibbs, who made news in India for his role in the match-fixing scandal, was today banned for two Tests for his racist remarks on the fourth day of the first Test against Pakistan at Centurion.

The 32-year-old was caught on the stump microphone saying Pakistani supporters were behaving like bloody animals and something should be done about the Pakistanis"

He will thus miss the rest of the Test series against Pakistan which the hosts lead 1-0 after their seven wicket victory at Centurion today.

Gibbs was charged with Level 3.3 of the Code which prohibits using any language or gestures that offends, insults, humiliates, intimidates, threatens, disparages or vilifies another person on the basis of that person's race, religion, colour, descent or national or ethic origin." The batsman faced a disciplinary hearing by ICC match referee Chris Broad. The offence carried a ban of between two and four Test matches or between four and eight ODIs.

The coloured South African cricketer would also face a separate hearing by Cricket South Africa's disciplinary commissioner today (Jan 16, 2007).