Cricket Australia blast ICC for goof up

"If you read the judgement, judge (John) Hansen says the penalty would have been different if he had some facts in front of him," Sutherland said.

"From that point of view, that's disappointing, I am disappointed, Cricket Australia is disappointed," he said.

Harbhajan was given the ban by match referee Mike Procter on Jaunary 6 on Andrew Symonds' complaint that Harbhajan called him "monkey" but ICC appointed appeals commissioner Justice John Hansen of New Zealand overturned the decision, citing lack of evidence.

ICC accepted that it had bungled up by not tabling in front of Hansen the full background of Harbhajan Singh, something which could have resulted in bigger penalty for the Indian off-spinner.

"It's very unfortunate that human error led to Justice Hanser not having the full history of Harbhajan's previous Code of Conduct breaches and the ICC accepts the responsibility for this mistake," ICC Chief Executive Malcolm Speed said.

Sutherland, however, said the Australian Board would speak to all rounder Symonds as he chose not to defend himself ahead of the Twenty20 clash against India.

"Absolutely, we will take the opportunity to talk at the right time to Andrew and other players and the players as a group about some of the circumstances and some of the things that are reported in the judgement," Sutherland said.

"Andrew Symonds is a brilliant cricketer. He is a tough, uncompromising cricketer in terms of the way he plays the game," he said.

"But no doubt with Andrew, as there with many other people, something for him toe reflect on."

Symonds, when contacted, said he was not going to talk on the matter.

Australian captain Ricky Ponting also came out in open to defend Symonds, saying it was "unfair" to criticise the all rounder.

"I think any sort of character assassination on Andrew Symonds as a result of this would be completely unfair," he said reacting to Hansen's observation that Symonds instigated the verbal exchange.