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Aussie players fume at Harbhajan decision

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Agencies

Posted: Jan 30, 2008 at 1936 hrs IST

Melbourne, January 30: Cricket Australia bore scathing attack from its furious players and local media for bowing down to the BCCI's "money power" and letting Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh off the hook with minimal punishment.

The ICC-appointed appeals commissioner John Hansen on Tuesday overturned the charge of racial abuse against Harbhajan but held the Indian guilty of using offensive language against Australia's Andrew Symonds.

"The thing that pisses us off is that it shows how much power India has. The Aussie guys aren't going to make it up. The players are frustrated because this shows how much influence India has, because of the wealth they generate.

Money talks," an unnamed Australian player was quoted as saying by the Sydney Morning Herald.

The BCCI had on Tuesday threatened to pull out of the tri-series if the racial abuse charge levelled by Symonds on the Indian spinner during the Sydney Test were not withdrawn.

'Cricket's Day of Shame' cried a headline in the paper and the report said the players were dismayed to hear "Harbhajan had avoided any meaningful punishment".

The report also said that CA caved in to India's muscle flexing as it was anxious to save the tri-series because it feared to be sued for a figure understood to be about $60 million if India quit the tour.

India's broadcast partner, ESPN, owns the lucrative contract to beam cricket from Australia into the subcontinent.

The report claimed that CA told the cricketers that "if ESPN sued successfully, it could take 10 years to recoup the losses."

The Australian also said "the players wanted Harbhajan convicted of something because he had allegedly broken his word, lied and twice called Symonds a "monkey".

"When the offer for Harbhajan to apologise in return for the lesser charge was made to the BCCI it was rejected out of hand."

"Billionaire superpower of world cricket threatened for the second time in a month to go home if it didn't get its way, while its players refused to continue with the tour and remained in the luxury team hotel in Adelaide.

"The Indians also held the tour to ransom by pulling the same stunt after the Sydney Test, when Harbhajan was convicted," the report in The Australian said.

Another leading newspaper The Daily Telegraph said "India executed an astonishing political power-play when they achieved a courtroom compromise in the Harbhajan Singh race row in Adelaide".

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ICC up for sale by The press on 30 Jan 2008

Newsflash...BCCI has just bought the ICC in exchange for never challenging an Indian player again. In addition if any umpire gives an Indian player out, they are to be sacked immidiately. All games are to be played on India's terms only. India is to be given the world ranking of 1 and it will remain that way until the BCCI runs out of money. Good luck to all you other cricket loving, non corrupt countries.

They lost Perth, played a slow and safe game to draw.Now they abuse us that we are racist because they lost. by Jai on 30 Jan 2008

Yeah how India is racist?, They have/had a Sikh as PM, Muslim, as president, women as both president and PM, people from every state and region, also Dalit as a president. Maybe they could explain how a monkey became a racist word, because we Indian don't get it? .......................................Besides they should look at their stats, they played it slow and safe the forth test, not us. Aussie first inning 181 over, their run rate 3.11 whereas Indian first innings 3.44 run rate in 152.5 over, It was kind of obvious that there was no time left for Indian inning and their chance. Aussie got one six and three people made centuries, whereas Indians have one person making a century and have three sixes, our last innings we played for 90 over run rate 2.99, making the average run rate for the two innings 3.27 for the Indians still beating the slow and safe Australian run rate of 3.11 obviously no one was going to win and still we had wickets to play. So by simple math we only played 61 overs more in our second innings, does it sound that we were playing slow? Aussie are also liars, poor sports that do anything to win.fter false allegation BHaji has been found not guilty...............................Happy to see them win against India you looser, now you are calling us racist because you can’t win??

Uncivilised aussies by indi on 30 Jan 2008

Sydney test should be called unofficial. All the records of cheating aussies should be deleted. Series should be declared tied at 1 each. thief Ponting, racist symonds, big old bully hayden and new robber pup clarke should be banned for bringing the game to disrepute and tormenting harbhajan and Indians.

unethcial and robbers of game by indi on 30 Jan 2008

Ethically India won the series 2-1. Semi ethically the series was drawn 1-1. Non ethcically aussies snatched the series 2-1.Bhajji being given clean chit, proves symonds, ponting, hayden and pup lied. So they should be banned for 5 test matches for blaming an innocent Indian and for claiming catches which they had not taken in sydney. As southafrica was banned for aparthied, aussies should be banned for cheating and claiming unethical victory.

Harbhajan off the hook by Hemaraj Akkali on 30 Jan 2008

BCCI and the Indian team in fact set a very bad example with threat to call off the Australian tour if Harbhajan is convicted for racial abuse. BCCI got it their way with money power. India Team on the whole should have been fined. Everybody knows that BCCI is one of the wealthiest and the most corrupt cricket board in the world. How much did Harbhajan shell out for BCCI's support. Today it is Harbhajan, tomorrow it will be somebody else and the Indian team will turn out to be the most in-disciplined lot in world cricket if BCCI supports its players blindly. Sreesanth is on his way for the ODI tri-series, that is another character without any discipline. BCCI get ready to protect him.

Harbhajan is no hero but disgrace by Paramjit Bahia on 30 Jan 2008

India has proud history of contributing towards the defeat of evil of apartheid in South Africa and opposing racism at international level. Although in typical hypocritical traditions some Indians have kept on indulging in awfully shameful racist behaviour, but it was not openly done by our prominent national representatives especially on international stage. But cricketer Harbhajan has started a new trend and brought shame to the good name of the nation. If this man is allowed to get away with calling an Australian player a Monkey who is there to stop some idiot referring to Nelson Mandela in similar foul mouthed terms? Also how would we feel if people start throwing similar utterly shameful racist insults at us, Indian players and other national icons? Remember how many were upset when far less offensive language was used in UK towards actress Shipla Sheti? Australians too have feelings it is not the monopoly of Indians alone. Rather than making cricketer Harbhajan a hero some exemplary action should be taken against him.

Bhajji Episode by Ananth Seth on 30 Jan 2008

Short and sweet summing up of the happenings: "Assertion of Indispensability" by India.

Bhajji let off... by Sam Emerge on 30 Jan 2008

Way to go, BCCI.So finally Ponting and Co... gets to taste what it means to be at the receiving end of money power

Bhajji Let off by Malini Venkat on 30 Jan 2008

We Indians do not have to become racists to assert our rights and defend our integrity. The so called abusive language charge laid on Bhajji was the direct consequence of the three Australian cricketeers' underhanded insidious effort in evoking a response to their abusive offensive language. However repulsive as it might be to any fair minded person,it should be noted that it is a standard tactic by Australia.Who can forget McGrath's filthy tirade against WI batsman?Of Hogg's abusive colourful language when he was bowled out? Who can forget Australian's treatment of the Srilankan team? Australians don't like to reap what they sow.

Ref Bhajji Let off by Paramjit Bahia on 30 Jan 2008

Their shameful behaviour is not justification for us start doing the same. Intelligent people do not follow others into the gutter.

Bajji's let - off by K. N. Krishna Moorthy on 30 Jan 2008

Yes of course, why not? Previously, the white men held sway over the other countries. The south africans even refused to play England, simply because one black man was in their side. That was the clout the white men had. Now, when they face their own music, they find it difficult to digest. Atleast now, they will try to understand how others felt on earlier occasions.

ref: bajji's let-off by babu on 30 Jan 2008

Mr. Krishna, I hope you are well aware that bajji did not abuse a white man, (symonds is not a white guy). being an indian, I feel doing wrong to justify another wrong cannot become right! so let us not talk about racism in revenge is justifiable act!!

Ref: Bajji's letpoff by Paramjit Bahia on 30 Jan 2008

Are you seriously suggesting that now we Indians should start becoming racists? God sake grow up

Bajji by Raj on 30 Jan 2008

You need to grow up, Paramjit.Start living in the real world.

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