Radio Sport apologises over Martin Devlin's cricket banner comments

Martin Devlin said he had missed the mark with his satire but was always learning. Photo / Michael Craig

Radio Sport has apologised after comments made by host Martin Devlin in a live-to-air segment in which he criticised a journalist for taking an anti-rape banner into Eden Park.

Devlin described Madeleine Chapman as the "chick from the Spinoff" and "dickhead-ish" for unfurling a banner at the ground during the T20 match on Friday night between the Black Caps and India.

The sign said: "Wait" is not "yes" between the wickets or the sheets, pointedly referring to the rape trial of Black Caps star Scott Kuggeleijn, and a perceived poor response from New Zealand Cricket. Kuggeleijn was found not guilty of rape.

Devlin said today: "I have missed the mark with my satire but I'm always learning."

In a statement, Radio Sport said it did not always share the views of its hosts and that the comments in the live-to-air segment on Saturday morning crossed the line.

"The nature of live, talkback radio is such that there is a fine line between making a point - and the way that point is made.

"Our talkback hosts are encouraged to provoke conversation and discussion.

"We apologise that these comments crossed the line."