Harbhajan banned for three Tests, BCCI to appeal

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Posted online: Sunday , January 06, 2008 at 00:00 hrs
Updated On: Sunday , January 06, 2008 at 21:05 hrs

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Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh was banned for three Test matches after the ICC match referee Mike Procter upheld the Australian charge that he had racially abused their all-rounder Andrew Symonds, a decision against which the Indian team will appeal within 24 hours.

Procter gave a marathon six-and-a-half hour hearing to Harbhajan, who denied the charge and was supported by skipper Anil Kumble, Sachin Tendulkar, manager Chetan Chauhan and media manager M V Sridhar during the deliberations.

Procter also heard Symonds, who was backed by Australian captain Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist, Matthew Hayden, Michael Clarke along with team manager Steve Bernard, who attended the hearing to testify against the Indian spinner.

After the hearing, which went beyond 2 am (Sydney time), there was no official word about the verdict but informed sources said that the three-Test ban was being slapped on Harbhajan, who is fully backed by the BCCI and the team.

The appeal will be made to the Commissioner of Appeals and pending the appeal, the off-spinner can continue to play.

After the hearing, Sridhar had said that they had not ruled out returning home, but the BCCI later played down the threat.

Meanwhile, the Indians have also filed a complaint against Australian spinner Brad Hogg for using abusive language during the ill-tempered second cricket Test.

Comments

» Sydney Test.

Posted by K. N. Krishna Moorthy on 2008-01-08 13:36:28.946086+05:30
When Australia toured India last, they were greeted with monkey calls. When they got back to Australia, they said that India would get it back, when they toured Australia late last year. That this has been happening, should not come as surprise. They targeted Harbhajan, as he was getting Ponting out regularly. It has always been the practice of Australians to make life difficult, for the opponents, for reasons other than cricket. Remember, Bill Lawry! He called our pressmen, " You bloody Indians " and even hit one of them with his bat, when he was here in 1969. That is the sort of behaviour one should expect from the Australians.During the heat of the Bodyline Series, Don Bradman said : There are two teams out there on the field. One of them is playing cricket."It is better if somebody brings the above, to the attention of Ponting. After all, it is not enough to win, but one should win cleanly.

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» harabhajan

Posted by sam on 2008-01-08 11:06:55.95276+05:30
As an Australian I am ashamed of our team

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» Sydney test

Posted by vb on 2008-01-08 10:33:51.488194+05:30
Mr. Ramakrishnan,It is not about supporting the home team. It is about what is called as a gentlemen's game. If there is no fight between two teams the game will get boring, Wining is the objective of both the teams when the win is complemented from the opponents then it is a true win. Spectators sponsorers spend money (That is why the Aussie cricketers get big money) because spectators are interested in it. If Australia keeps winning without a proper fight from opponents then the popularity drops and sponsorers will not be interested. India is a strong team, they faltered at MCG but regrouped and were charging in at SCG, the Aussies sensed that they can't hold Indians back so they engaged in unfair tactics. Ponting may not have realised that he grounded the catch, or the catch taken by MClarke was on a halfwoly but after this he should have atleast apologised, which he hasn't and instead he raised another controversy by trying to get a ban on HB Singh as he can dismiss ponting cheaply!So whichever team you support you must oppose the unfairness to the game.

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» Indian cricketing pride

Posted by Tim Hall on 2008-01-08 10:00:47.700144+05:30
So many opinions expressed here talk about national pride. Last years "monkey" taunts from Indian fans, denied until proven by footage, have now been repeated on the field by a player. Add to this the incessant attacks on the umpires (everyone can make a mistake), the refusal of Ganguly to accept his dismissal, the petulance and lip quivering of Kumble at the post match conference, the bald-faced assertion from Indian journalists that Ponting was a cheat (when he clearly controlled the ball) at the same conference, the dummy spit from your cricket board when the (neutral) match referee made his ruling, the burning of effigies in Australian uniforms, and assertions here and elsewhere that India should use its financial muscle to intimidate umpires and officials...oh yes, you must be so proud.

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» RACIST AUSTRALIAN CRICKETERS AND WHITE INJUSTICE

Posted by SARVJEET SHARMA on 2008-01-08 09:55:34.7642+05:30
HOW MANY TIMES INDIANS HAVE TO BE HUMILIATED AND FACE INJUSTICE ? INDIANS HAVE BEEN TOLERATING IT OVER THE CENTURIES .ATLEAST , REACT NOW. JUST ASK INDIAN TEAM TO COME BACK --IF INDIANS HAVE ANY SELF RESPECT.

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» Racism

Posted by vb on 2008-01-08 09:55:13.388792+05:30
Two blacks fight, and white calls it racism! What a BS!

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» Bhajji incident

Posted by Harpreet Sethi on 2008-01-08 08:51:40.053233+05:30
Isnt it ironic that a south african (who have been practising aparthied all this while) was made to judge a case of alleged racism. what more can we expect out from him

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» India having unrealistic high opinion of there cricket team

Posted by paul on 2008-01-08 03:58:30.930795+05:30
Having watched all 5 days of the Sydney test, i find some of the washup very frustrating and over the top. Do i think the result was fair for India. No. Do i think that it was the Australian teams fault. No. Were the Indian side hard done by. Yes. Who caused this. The Umpires. A fair result would have been a draw and i think most Aussies would agree.As for players walking or not i play the game and at all times it is the umpires responsibilty to give a player out or not out,i dont think that the Indians can say that they have never appealed when they clearly know that a player is not out. IE Ricky Pontings LBW after he should have been given out earlier caught down the leg side. This animosity by the the Indians is out of kilter as the only people that caused this mess in the first place were the 2 umpires. As for Harbajan's 3 match ban for racial abuse i can only agree that this is the right decision as there is no place for this in society let alone international sport. PLEASE NOTE THIS ALL RACIAL COMMENTATORS ON HERE. Surprised there is no complaining over the MCG test. Bye the way this test India sure did receive a lot of bad decisions but so too have Australia in the past( most notable the 2005 ASHES loss- but you never hear of Australia complaining. Watch the next test that Billy from NZ mpores in and Australia will be on the receiving end of all the bad calls

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» have some sense

Posted by joe on 2008-01-08 08:50:47.174864+05:30
comeon paul, which world do you come from is calling someone a monkey greater than calling someone a bastard, probably you need to rewrite social values, you can call anyone a snake , rat or whatever and get away, and who is asking symons to accept monkeys as his ancestors, its his choice..

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» sydney test

Posted by Ramakrishnan Ramanathan on 2008-01-07 20:58:22.378569+05:30
please support your home team, even if you dont like them.

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» 2nd Test Match

Posted by Abheet on 2008-01-07 17:33:42.724207+05:30
Sydney test match should be declared void. It should be played again with neutral and capable umpires. If Australia is good enough to win, let it be a fair win and not a umpires assisted win.When this test is made void then ofcourse Harbhajan's monkey business is over as well. I am afraid Australians will not accept this option since they are riding high. They have won with the umpires and they have won with Procter, the match referee. Now Indian cricket board has to decide if they want their team to take all the shit? In any case Harbhajan could not have used the word monkey for Symonds since monkey is a respected animal in Hindu faith and that reverence could not be showered on an Aussie. Australia has to move into the 21st century and learn to respect others even if they are not white. There was Dr Haneef case recently and now the monkey business. Aussies are still living in the time when prisoners were deported to Australia by the British but times have moved on.

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