Former Sussex spinner Ashar Zaidi has called on Craig Overton to apologise after the Somerset bowler allegedly made a racist remark to him in a game in September.

Overton was this week banned for two matches after he was found guilty of a level-one breach of England and Wales Cricket Board regulations.

He had been reported for allegedly telling Pakistan-born Zaidi to "go back to your own f***ing country" while bowling at him during the County Championship game at Hove.

Overton denies making the comment and Zaidi did not hear it at the time, but it was reported by non-striker Mike Yardy and umpire Alex Wharf.

Zaidi told the Telegraph: "When I heard what had happened I was fuming, especially as that guy didn't have the decency to come and apologise afterwards.

"At the next day's play he didn't look me in the eye and didn't warm up with the rest of his team. Somerset officials came and spoke with me also.

"He owes me an apology. I've played all over England and never experienced such racist behaviour."

Overton's sanction was handed down by the Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC) - an independent arm of the ECB.

It contrasted with the level-two sanction and four-match ban given to Yorkshire captain Andrew Gale in 2014 for calling Lancashire's South African batsman Ashwell Prince a "Kolpak f*****".

Yorkshire coach Jason Gillespie wrote on Twitter on Thursday night, after Overton's sanction was first reported: "There is a strong chance that @YorkshireCCC will be seeking clarification on this..............."

Zaidi said: "I'm not in a position to say whether he was treated leniently but I was very surprised at his penalty.

"I have no problem with sledging. It happens and we all do it but what he said was too much. It was surprising also as he played alongside (Pakistan international) Abdur Rehman at Somerset."