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Team India wants Bhajji cleared first
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Hogg charged under Level 3 of ICC Code
Dubai, January 8 Australia spinner Brad Hogg was today charged under Level 3 of the International Cricket Council's Code of Conduct following allegations that he verbally abused Indian skipper Anil Kumble and Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
Everything I did was right: Ponting
ICC shouldn’t let BCCI run game: Oz media
Madugalle to play peacemaker
Hayden under injury threat
Sania enters quarters
Haryana win title
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Team India wants Bhajji cleared first Sydney, January 8 The players, who feel that Harbhajan is absolutely innocent, are insistent that this issue be sorted out before the third Test starting on January 16, according to reports emanating from the Indian camp late on Tuesday night. The players welcome the removal of Steve Bucknor as umpire for the third Test and see the arrival of chief match referee Ranjan Madugalle as a good development. The Indian team is aware that they could be viewed as a sulking unit for having stayed put in the team hotel for two days, dragging their feet on departure to Canberra and threatening to stop at nothing till Harbhajan is cleared. But, the sources said, they are so incensed that they do not want to relent on the issue, sources said, adding they would await Cricket Board’s decision on the issue. Meanwhile, it was more or less confirmed that Indians would move to Canberra tomorrow for the three-day game starting there the next day. — PTI
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Ban unacceptable: BCCI New Delhi: An emergency meeting of the Working Committee of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) held here tonight, resolved that the three-match ban imposed on Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh was "totally unacceptable", and authorised BCCI president Sharad Pawar to take "all possible steps at his command and deploy all human and material resources available to get the player cleared of the obnoxious and baseless accusation". The Working Committee meeting, chaired by Pawar, "fully and unequivocally endorsed" the stand taken by the president and concerned officials with respect of the "quality of umpiring and totally uncalled for, unjustified and patently illegal ban imposed on Harbhajan Singh by the match referee (Mike Proctor)". BCCI treasurer N. Srinivasan, who read out a statement after the Working Committee parleys lasting over two hours, said the president and office-bearers were "further authorised to take all appropriate decisions and exercise all available options in dealing with the situation emerging during the course of the hearing (of Harbhajan's case)". Srinivasan, who stuck to the prepared statement and refused to take any questions, said the International Cricket Council (ICC) had clarified to the BCCI that Harbhajan could play "till final disposal of the appeal". But it was only an "interim arrangement" and the BCCI was of the "categorical view that the matter will have to be finally resolved and the unfair allegations against the Indian player be set aside/withdrawn". The Working Committee meeting also decided that the Indian team's tour to Australia should continue "for the present", but the board will review the tour and all other developments "continuously".
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Hogg charged under Level 3 of ICC Code
Dubai, January 8 Hogg is accused of making the remarks during the final day of the controversial second Test in Sydney. Under the terms of the Code, ICC Match Referee Mike Procter will hold a hearing as soon as reasonably practicable. The preliminary date for the hearing is set for 14 January in Perth, an ICC press release said. The alleged offence has been reported under paragraph 3.3 of the ICC Code of Conduct which refers to players or team officials "using language or gestures that offends, insults, humiliates, intimidates, threatens, disparages or vilifies another person on the basis of that person's race, religion, gender, colour, descent, or national or ethic origin." Harbhajan Singh was also reported under the same clause and later found guilty of racially abusing Andrew Symonds. The penalty is a ban of between two and four Test matches or between four and eight one-day internationals, the release said. — PTI
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Kumble & Co in no hurry to go to Canberra
Sydney, January 8 "We still are keen to see the exact statement (of the ICC) and how the Indian cricket board reacts to it," said media manager M.V. Sridhar after news filtered in about the ICC's decision to remove Steve Bucknor as umpire for the third Test in Perth, as well as the measure to rush its chief match referee Ranjan Madugale to Perth to facilitate the smooth conduct of the third Test against Australia. "One issue has been solved, the other, more major one remains to be sorted out," said a senior member of the Indian team with a mix of anxiety and relief at the team hotel this evening. The visiting Indian team is still hung up on the "racist charge" which was levelled against Harbhajan Singh by the Australians and subsequently upheld by match referee Mike Procter. They would rather have a positive word on Harbhajan Singh before rushing to Canberra to play in the two-day match against Australian Capital Territory XI starting here on Thursday. "Matches can wait. This is the more serious issue of a member of our side being dubbed as culprit. We need to find an answer to this. It could affect our preparation," the player said. The Indian team has not touched a bat or ball in the two days since the Sydney Test ended in a 122-run loss for them. Indians, virtually besieged in their hotel in Sydney, this morning headed for the world famous Bondi Beach and played volleyball among themselves. Harbhajan Singh, whenever he stepped out of his room, caused a stir. The Australian media was in full force and crowded him this morning in a bid to get his reaction. The off-spinner looked relaxed though there was little doubt he was still simmering with discontent over the three-Test ban. — PTI
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Sydney, January 8 "Ricky has got the full support of everyone in our team and probably every cricketer around Australia," leading batsman Michael Hussey told reporters even as a well-known cricket columnist Peter Roebuck demanded that be be sacked as captain. "I think he is the best captain I have played under. We go out to play the game as hard as we can but also as fairly as we can, and Ricky is very big on that," he said. Hussey also said the Australian team had nothing to apologise for, maintaining the now-threatened series had been played in a hard but fair spirit. The batsman, whose second Test century in Sydney has been almost forgotten amid the controversy, said he was "shocked" by Indian captain Anil Kumble's assertion that only one team was playing in the spirit of cricket. "That was a surprising comment and a little disappointing," Hussey told reporters yesterday at the Sydney Cricket Ground, where he was filming a cricket-based Bollywood movie. "The spirit has been fantastic for the first two Tests, and not just that, for the 60 years we have been playing Test cricket against India. The two teams actually get on very well; it has been absolutely brilliant. "That's why I've been shocked (by Kumble's remarks). There have been a lot of contentious decisions, but you've got to accept the umpire's decision. It takes discipline to do that without showing any dissent," he said. Hussey said Ponting had done nothing wrong by reporting Harbhajan for allegedly calling Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds a "monkey" and was merely following ICC protocols. Admitting that it was "disappointing" the way the controversy had played out, he hoped Ponting and Kumble could get together for peace talks and "work this all out". Denying accusations that the Australians were arrogant, he said "I know all the guys and that's so far from the truth it's not funny. We have a great pride in playing for the baggy green cap, and for each other. — PTI
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Everything I did was right: Ponting
Sydney, January 8 Ponting said he was dissappointed to hear former players’ remarks who even claimed him as a “dobber who had opened a pandora’s box” for making a report of what he believed was racial abuse towards Andrew Symonds. “Over the past two years, match referees have made it clear at the start of every series that it is the captain’s responsibility to immediately report any form of racism from either the crowd or on the field,” he said. Referring to the incident which was held in the second Test Ponting said “When I heard what had taken place with Andrew I immediately informed the umpires and then left the field at the end of the over to inform our team manager, which is what we are instructed to do.’’ Commenting on India captain Anil Kumble’s claim that only one team was playing in the spirit of the game, Ponting said, “It is a shame that this issue has come to dominate the Test because, from my point of view, I believe that both the Melbourne and Sydney Tests were played in terrific spirit.’’ “This is not something we take lightly so it is surprising and disappointing to hear Anil Kumble suggest that we did not play within that spirit in Sydney,’’ he added. Ricky Ponting also called for calm after Indian supporters demonstrated in the streets in response to the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) decision to ban Harbhajan Singh for three Tests. — UNI
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ICC shouldn’t let BCCI run game: Oz media
Sydney, January 8 Cricket writers here felt the Indian team's grievances against controversial umpire Steve Bucknor may be "genuine" but their threat to pull out should be given the "harsh response it deserves." "India's threat to boycott the Australian tour has come down to a battle of who runs cricket - India or the ICC," Robert Craddock wrote in 'The Daily Telegraph'. "If the ICC buckles and overturns the Harbhajan verdict because of Indian pressure, it may as well shut its doors in Dubai and cease to exist," he said. "If the ICC feels Harbhajan was worth suspending, it must not crumble in the face of a subcontinental blackmail from the world's most powerful cricket nation," it said. He, however, sympathised with the Indian "genuine" grievances against umpire Steve Bucknor, who has been replaced by New Zealand's Billy Bowden for the third Test in Perth. "India want Steve Bucknor sacked from the next Test in Perth and so he should be. Every grievance India have against him is genuine." "But India's suspension of the tour while they wait for an appeal on the suspension of Harbhajan Singh is a veiled form of blackmail and must be treated with the harsh response it deserves," he said. "If the Harbhajan verdict stands - as it should - and India abandon the tour, then so be it. Their nation will be in disgrace, their team retreating as men who cowered in the face of substantial adversity," he said in a harsh comment. "Racism is always a difficult issue, but this case is exacerbated by the nationality of the accusers," Peter Lalor wrote in 'The Australian'. "The sore is running again. The racism and cultural hostilities that marred Australia's one-day series in India last October have infected the Test series and taken the focus from what was a great sporting contest," he said. Lalor also alleged that India had failed to address racism in their society and recalled the Vadodra ODI during Australia's tour of India in October last year. "Andrew Symonds fielded near the fence in front of a hostile section of the crowd, who began to make monkey chants." "When asked why they were doing it, one replied: 'He looks like a monkey'," he recalled. Writing in the 'Sydney Morning Herald', Greg Baum criticised Anil Kumble for his comment that only one team played the Sydney Test in true spirit of the game. "India's sportsmanship at times was as lacking as Australia's when using elaborate ruses to slow the over rate on the last day. India got the rough end of the stick here, but were as sore losers as Australia were graceless winners." "... India have done themselves no favours by bringing a tit-for-tat charge against Brad Hogg," he said. "Overwhelmingly, in all spheres, it is whites who have practised racism against non-whites. Yet in cracking down on racism, cricket makes as its first example a non-white player. This was always bound to sit poorly with Indians. — PTI
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New low for ‘Mr Slow Death’
Sydney, January 8 Now approaching 62, the West Indian who has officiated in 120 Tests, the most by an umpire, and 167 ODIs, has umpired all the five World Cup finals since 1992. The Jamaican who was a football referee before turning to cricket, takes time to decide before nodding his head and raising his finger which has earned him the nickname of "Mr Slow Death". Unfortunately for Bucknor, due to retire in May 2011, the second Test between India and Australia turned out to be a disaster because he became 'finger-happy' while dealing with appeals against the Indians, earning him the dubious distinction of being the first umpire ever to have been replaced. Bucknor first rubbed India the wrong way back in 1992-93 when he refused to refer a Jonty Rhodes run out when the third umpire was introduced for the first time in cricket's history. Sachin Tendulkar has twice found himself at the receiving end of Bucknor's blunders in 1999 and 2005 and the Jamaican also angered the Indians in the 2003-04 series in Australia with his series of judgemental errors. After replays often exposed his lack of consistency in making the decisions, Bucknor in 2006 alleged that the broadcasters were doctoring images to make the umpires look bad in public eye. The West Indian was also one of the umpires, who were responsible for the farcical end to the 2007 World Cup final where Ricky Ponting's men beat Sri Lanka in semi-darkness and amid utter confusion. Melbourne: Despite widespread calls for Steve Bucknor to retire, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has backed the West Indian to complete his term as an Elite Panel umpire, which ends in 2011. ICC Chief Executive Malcolm Speed admitted that Bucknor had a poor Test match in Sydney, where he made several crucial mistakes, but rejected suggestions that the Jamaican will not umpire again in a Test following his removal from the third India-Australia Test in Perth. "I expect that Steve will continue as an ICC elite panel umpire," Speed said. "He's coming to the end of his career and it's been a very illustrious career with lots of high-profile matches. What we're seeking to do here is to take some tension out of the situation," he said. India had asked ICC to replace Bucknor for the Perth Test after India lost the ill-tempered match in Sydney by 122 runs to go down 0-2 in the series. Several former cricketers and experts had asked for his removal, saying his eyesight and reflexes were not good enough to stand scrutiny. Speed hinted that Bucknor agreed sitting down from the third Test was the best option. — PTI
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Melbourne, January 8 ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed told a news conference today that the former Sri Lanka batsman would speak with the feuding captains during next week's third test in Perth. ''We are bringing Ranjan in as a facilitator in an effort to prevent any ill-feeling that may have been present at the Sydney Test from rolling over to Perth,'' Speed said in a statement. ''Ranjan is our chief referee and a highly respected figure within the game. ''He will remind the captains and other players of their responsibilities to conduct themselves in line with the Spirit of Cricket.'' Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland had called on Ponting and Kumble to resolve their differences after an acrimonious end to last week's second test in Sydney. Kumble evoked memories of Bill Woodfull's comment to the touring English side during the infamous 'Bodyline' series in 1932-33, by uttering the comment, ''Only one team was playing within the spirit of the game.'' Ponting defended the behaviour of his team mates, arguing that they played the game hard but fair but said he would be happy to meet with Kumble to try and resolve their differences. Madugalle played 21 Tests for Sri Lanka between 1982 and 1988 before retiring from the game. He joined the ICC as a match referee in 1993 and was made chief referee in 2001. India have also threatened to quit the tour after spinner Harbhajan Singh picked up a three-match ban for making racially abusing Australia all-rounder Andrew Symonds. — Reuters
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Bhajji’s appeal
Melbourne, January 8 Addressing a press conference here today, Speed said Harbhajan was free to play the third India-Australia Test that gets underway at Perth on January 16 pending his appeal. Speed vehemently denied it was a triumph for the cash-rich Indian cricket board and said the steps were taken in the best interests of the game. "I would like to think that the game has had a win," he said. "We have been able to take a decision that will take some of the tension out of the situation and enable both the teams to focus on cricket," Speed said. The ICC official also did not see any threat to the tour and hoped it would move on without any hiccup. — PTI
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Hayden under injury threat
Sydney,
January 8 Hayden, who
scored 123 in the second innings of the Sydney Test, was forced to bat
with a runner during the innings and there is some uncertainty over the
seriousness of his injury that will be assessed this week. Australia's
team physiotherapist Alex Kountouris said “It could take one week to
heal, it could take five weeks. We are waiting to see how it looks in a
few days.” If Hayden is ruled out from the remaining two Tests, it
will be a big loss for Australia as he has been a prolific scorer
against the Indians. “The thing with tendons is sometimes they don't
heal too well because the blood supply around them isn't too good,”
the physio added. However, Kountouris did not completely rule out the
possibility that Hayden will miss the remaining two Tests. “He has a
chance to play in Perth but we are waiting to see how his symptoms
are.” Hayden, who has also been battling a back injury, will rest in
Brisbane for the next three days before starting a rehabilitation
programme and is then expected to fly to Perth with the team and be
assessed by Kountouris. If Hayden is ruled out, West Australian
left-hander Chris Rogers who was a contender to take Justin Langer's
opening position until a bout of appendicitis paved the way for Phil
Jaques, could make his Test debut on his home ground. Kountouris
further added that all-rounder Andrew Symonds (ankle spur) was not in
doubt for the Perth Test. — UNI
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Hobart, January 8 Sania beat Kudryavtseva 6-3, 6-4 to enter the last-eight stage of the Tier IV hard court event. The Indian will now be up against Italian Flavia Pennetta. Pennetta advanced after Australian qualifier Jelena Dokic pulled out midway through the first set of their second-round match today. Pennetta led 5-0 when Dokic retired from the match. — PTI
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Yamunanagar, January 8 After winning the toss, Haryana posted 189 runs in the stipulated 20 overs. Punjab batsman could post only 180 runs on the board. Sagar Chhabra was declared Man of the Match. Sachin and Akshey of Haryana were jointly declared best bowlers of the tournament. — TNS
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