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Cricket In Tatters Oz tour on hold
London/Sydney, January 7 Although there is no suggestion the tour will be cancelled, the BCCI ordered its players to remain in their Sydney hotel rather than travel to Canberra for their next practice match. BCCI vice-president Rajiv Shukla told Reuters a decision on when the players would leave Sydney and resume training would be made within the next 24 hours. “Tomorrow at seven (7 am) we have convened a working committee meeting. All these issues will be decided there,” Shukla said. “Officially I can only say that the team is in Sydney. Team management has already said the BCCI has given them directive to stay back in Sydney.” The BCCI released a statement saying it had taken the stance to protect the honour of their nationals after Harbhajan was handed a three-match suspension for racially abusing Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds during the second Test in Sydney. The spinner strongly denies the charges. “The board will appeal to the International Cricket Council to review the decision of the match referee and suspend its operation till the appeal is disposed of,” the BCCI said. “The Indian Board realises the game of cricket is paramount but so too is the honour of the Indian team and for that matter every Indian. “To vindicate its position, the Board will fight the blatantly false and unfair slur on an Indian player. Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland told reporters in Melbourne that he had been assured the tour would proceed. “The chairman of Indian cricket overnight made a commitment that it would and that’s good enough for me,’’ Sutherland said. Sutherland proposed a peace meeting between Australia captain Ricky Ponting and Indian skipper Anil Kumble to try and resolve the escalating crisis. Emotions began to boil over immediately after the match when Kumble accused the Australians of bad sportsmanship, evoking memories of Bill Woodfull’s criticism of England during the 1932-33 ‘Bodyline’ series. ‘’In the course of the next few days it is time for the two captains to get together and have a chat,’’ Sutherland said. Ponting said the Australians retained the greatest respect for the Indian players and he was confident there would be no lasting bad blood because of the fallout. “I think it’s important for us to realise that India and Australia have got and had tremendous relationships through 100 years of test cricket,’’ he told the Nine Network. ‘’You’d like to think that one little incident like this wouldn’t bring undone all the great work that’s been done over a long period of time.’’ Australia produced an amazing finish to beat India by 122 runs on Sunday to equal their own world record of 16 successive wins but the result was overshadowed by a series of controversies. The Indians were upset at a number of crucial decisions that went against them and announced they would lodge an official complaint at the performances of the two on-field umpires, West Indian Steve Bucknor and England’s Mark Benson. The BCCI also announced they were lodging a separate protest against Australian all-rounder Brad Hogg, claiming he used abusive language at Kumble, although it was the suspension of the popular Harbhajan that had caused the most fury. “That he was charged for racism is unacceptable to us. We want him cleared of the charge,’’ Shukla said. The ICC is expected to hear the Harbhajan appeal this week. The remaining two tests of the series, which Australia leads 2-0, are scheduled to be held later this month in Perth and Adelaide. — Reuters
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ICC stands by umpires London, January 7 The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) wants Bucknor banned from officiating at the match in Perth as punishment for a series of blunders he made during the second Test in Sydney. The ICC said member countries were not permitted to interfere or oppose the appointment of umpires. “The standard Test match playing conditions are signed by the respective board, and the condition states that neither team has a right to object to an umpire's appointment. There is little ICC can do,” an ICC spokesman said on Monday.
— Reuters
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Entrapment? Sydney, January 7 After such an appeal is lodged by or on
behalf of Harbhajan to the ICC (expected to have been submitted by
Monday evening), this body is required to appoint a commissioner to
consider an appeal within two days; and the application must be heard
within another week. It is incredible, though, that there is no accurate record of the hearing that took place on January 6 night, at the end of which Proctor deemed Harbhajan to be guilty. James Fitzgerald, an official spokesman of the ICC, admitted there is no transcript available. According to Fitzgerald, Proctor read out his verdict to the players and officials who attended the hearing. A copy of this “judgement”, as he put it, has been sent to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). This document has not been made public by the ICC, either. The key question that arises is on what basis Proctor found Harbhajan to be culpable? The umpires, apparently, did not pick up anything, neither did the stump microphones. Harbhajan was batting when the alleged incident occurred. In other words, he could not have been too far away from the pitch area. There was, therefore, every possibility that one of the mikes would have recorded any exchange that took place between Harbhajan and Symonds, the complainant, even if this wasn’t broadcast. From all indications so far, this wasn’t the case or there is, thus, no independent corroboration. Unconfirmed reports indicate Mathew Hayden and Michael Clarke presented evidence in support of Symonds, while Sachin Tendulkar defended Harbhajan. On the fourth day of the second Test, Clarke shamelessly waited for umpire Steve Bucknor to give him out - perhaps taking a chance - even after manifestly cutting a ball to slip. On the final day, he claimed a catch at second slip against Sourav Ganguly, which, if referred to the 3rd umpire, would probably not have been accepted. The same Clarke is said to have substantiated Symonds’ charge at the hearing. Is his word more trustworthy than Tendulkar’s? Clarke, Hayden and Symonds are reported to be buddies. Could they have conspired to entrap Harbhajan? In the absence of a transcript of the hearing, a clumsy oversight on the part of the ICC - the process adopted so far lacks transparency. Consequently, Proctor’s conclusion lacks credibility, unless he or the ICC can provide details of the procedure undertaken, the evidence received and the reasons for reaching the decision he has.
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