Indians express outrage at Harbhajan's ban, dubious umpiring
New Delhi/Jalandhar/Patna, Jan 7 (ANI): Cricket fans across the
country have expressed their outrage against the ban on Indian spinner
Harbhajan Singh for three Test matches.
Protesters in Patna staged a donkey-march venting their ire at Steve
Bucknor for a series of umpiring blunders at the second test between
India and Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
"The way it turned out, the decisions that were given and the manner
in which Ricky Ponting (Australian skipper) managed to get a decision
in his favour is disgusting. Also, the decision against Harbhajan
Singh is completely unwarranted and without any proof," said Ishwar
Chandra Srivastava, a protestor.
Former India players were united in criticising umpires -- Steve Bucknor and
Mark Benson -- whose mistakes, they said, helped Australia win.
India's greatest all-rounder Kapil Dev accused the hosts of failing to
show a sporting spirit.
Meanwhile, in Jalandhar, Harbhajan Singh's mother Avtar Kaur said that
she had faith in the Almighty that the things will improve.
"Whatever is happening is not good. He (Harbhajan) has been falsely
implicated," she added.
In New Delhi, cricket fans said that it was a totally unfair decision
and the issue needed to be addressed at the earliest.
Many felt that such dubious decisions have brought disrepute to the game.
"This is a black spot on the game of cricket," said Ram, a fan.
Earlier today, the Indian cricket board suspended its team's tour of
Australia pending the outcome of an appeal for spinner Harbhajan
Singh.
On Sunday, the ICC banned Harbhajan for three Test matches for alleged
racial remarks during the second Test between India and Australia.
The five-day match at the Sydney Cricket Ground was dogged by a series
of umpiring blunders that re-ignited the debate about whether the
match officials should be allowed to make greater use of technology to
ensure they make the right decisions.
Both teams were adversely affected by wrong calls, but the most
significant occurred on the first day when Andrew Symonds was given
not out by West Indian umpire Bucknor when the player edged a catch
behind.
India lost the match by 122 runs after their celebrated batting
line-up collapsed on the last day at the Sydney Cricket Ground but the
tourists said the umpires were to blame for the result. (ANI)
EARLIER:
ICC says umpires to stay, India's tour to Australia in jeopardy
Sydney, Jan. 7 (ANI): The International Cricket Council (ICC) has said
that Test umpires Steve Bucknor and Mark Benson will continue to stand
in the third and fourth Australia-India Tests to be played at Perth
and Adelaide later this month, which could convince the Board of
Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to call off its tour of the
country in wake of the umpiring controversies in the just concluded
Sydney cricket Test.
The ICC said that it is yet to receive a formal complaint from the
BCCI on the umpiring issue, while the BCCI has said that it is
convening an emergency meeting of its working committee in New Delhi
on Tuesday evening to deliberate on the matter and the next course of
action. The BCCI has called for an immediate ban on the umpires and
demanded that the three Test ban on Harbhajan should be revoked.
Sachin Tendulkar has sent a SMS to BCCI president Sharad Pawar, saying
he was an eyewitness to the incident involving Harbhajan Singh and
Andrew Symonds and was present in the hearing in which the ban on
Harbhajan was imposed. He said the ban was unjustified.
The tour of Australia has been suspended till the ban on Harbhajan is
lifted, the BCCI said in a statement today. "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 in a statement released on Monday.
BCCI Vice-President Rajiv Shukla said that Harbhajan had complete
support of his teammates as well as the BCCI. He further confirmed
that the board has demanded the removal of Bucknor and Benson from all
future matches involving India.
The board's chief administrative officer,Professor Ratnakar Shetty,
has said that all rules and provisions would be kept in mind before
deciding the future course of the tour and no decision would be taken
on public emotions and reactions.
He also made it clear that first Harbhajan Singh would have to file a
complaint and subsequently, the board would follow suit.
Even umpires officiating in the match had testified that no such
comments were passed by the Indian offie. Earlier, Team India had
leveled serious allegations against off spinner Brad Hogg. Team India
reportedly complained of Hogg as he used abusive words against some of
the Indian players. While ICC's hearing to settle Harbhajan- Symonds
row was underway ICC role has come under scanner from cricket fans
across the globe.
Mike Proctor will hear fresh charges against Hogg on January 7. (ANI)
EARLIER
India risks a 2.3 million dollar fine for suspending its cricket tour
of Australia
Melbourne, Jan.7 (ANI): India risks paying a 2.3 million dollar fine
for suspending its cricket tour of Australia, and this has probably
led the Board of Control for Cricket in India to order the Indian team
to remain in Sydney, rather that travel to Canberra as scheduled,
pending the outcome of an appeal against Harbhajan Singh's three-Test
suspension for racially abusing Andrew Symonds.
BCCI bigwigs are meeting in New Delhi tomorrow to determine the next
course of action.
Under ICC rules, member countries are obliged to fulfil their tour
contracts except when the security of the players is at risk or the
touring team's government orders that the tour should not proceed.
India could also be liable to reimburse Cricket Australia for any
losses incurred.
Relations between the two sides reached a new low after Australia
retained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy by snatching a last-minute victory
in the second Test on Sunday night.
The Indian players and management were incensed by the poor standard
of umpiring, most of which favoured the home team, and Indian captain
Anil Kumble revived echoes of the Bodyline controversy when he accused
the Australians of not playing in the spirit of the game.
The BCCI today issued an indignant statement deploring the slur cast
on Harbhajan and the Indian nation.
"Unfair allegation of racism against our Indian player is wholly
unacceptable," The Australian quoted BCCI president Sharad Pawar, who
is also a senior government minister, as saying.
"The game of cricket is paramount, but so too is the honour of India's
cricket team and every Indian.
"The BCCI is committed to protect the country's fair name. India's
national commitment is against racism. Our national struggle is based
on values which negate racism. BCCI will fight this false and unfair
slur cast on our player," Pawar said. (ANI)
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