India in Australia

[RoboRocks]

Harbhajan has been banned now so hopefully we won't have any more of that behavior. India need to play or else they will face some trouble with the media and also try and resolve with some spirit. Harbhajan owes Symonds an apology and hopefully then the tour can go on.

 

[varunvgiri]

Yes, it is totally.

Harbahjan has been charged by the ICC. He has clearly done something wrong, Clearly. The fact you cannot accept one of your players doing wrong is ridiculously biased and pretty pathetic. There have been plenty of report banging about on a lot of reputable websites and sources that Harbhajan did call Symonds a monkey. Whether or not you agree with that being racist, it's the ICC's opinion. Lest you forgot that the ICC is always under considerable pressure and tends to bow to the sub continental, particularly India's demands. Harbhajan is well known around the circuit as being a very aggressive talker and someone with a very short fuse prone to fits of rage. I'm in no position to say whether he meant it or whether it was in a fit of anger or whether it was done in a normal frame of mind.

Well the Indian team manager has made it clear that there was no stump-mike audio available relating to the incident.

And the question is not whether somebody has done "anything" wrong or not. We can clearly see that Harbhajan was aggressive on the field. While, this is not acceptable on the cricket field we cant call it a criminal offense. But making racist comments is a criminal offense in mosts part of the world.

And therefore for punishing someone for a criminal offense you need solid proof. From the statement of the team manager it is clear that there was no concrete material proof. Only the words of the Australian v/s that of the Indian players. Proof that will never stand up in a court of law. You can always argue that it's the word of two Australian players against that of one Indian player. But the fact, is that there was only Indian player that could be in vicinity of the incident.

Therefore, Harbhajan can be punished for not playing in the spirit of the game and for showing aggressive behavior on field. But he can never be punished for racism which can in no way be conclusively proven.

The defendant is presumed to be innocent. And it is the duty of the accusers to prove that he is guilty. But, this clearly did not happen in this case, where Harbhajan was presumed guilty by the match referee and was asked to prove his innocence. That is clearly not the way a hearing, particularly one of this nature, should be conducted.

 

[handsome]

Harbhajan has been banned now so hopefully we won't have any more of that behavior. India need to play or else they will face some trouble with the media and also try and resolve with some spirit. Harbhajan owes Symonds an apology and hopefully then the tour can go on.

Nice joke

 

[Animator!]

From the 2 reports posted, the Indian authorities and Harbhajan seem to be running 2 contradictory defences:

(a) Harbhajan: "I was just speaking, not even sledging, there was nothing said at all"

(b) Indian cricket: "Harbhajan reacted under extreme provocation"

It's hard to see how both of these can be true - presumably they will have to plump for option (a) at the hearing.

Either way, Mike Procter has a viciously unenviable task - one or other party's reputation is likely to have to be severely damaged. I predict a fudged verdict of Not Guilty, along the lines of "Harbhajan was mis-heard".

 

[sohum]

Either way, Mike Procter has a viciously unenviable task - one or other party's reputation is likely to have to be severely damaged. I predict a fudged verdict of Not Guilty, along the lines of "Harbhajan was mis-heard".

You missed the train home.

I can't believe Symonds got Man of the Match! That's hilarious!

 

[handsome]

You missed the train home.

I can't believe Symonds got Man of the Match! That's hilarious!

Exactly it must have been Buckner and Benson

 

[manee]

I spoke to my Dad about it and he said the most likely scenario.

Symonds really really annoys Harbhajan Singh. Harbhajan replies by calling him a monkey and Symonds takes it in his stride. In the dressing room, Ponting thinks about it and sees an oppotunity to eliminate his (what is the opposite of bunny) number one foe and so the complaint is lodged.

 

[Harrypotter_fan]

I can't believe Symonds got Man of the Match! That's hilarious!

Me too, after getting 4-5 lives thanks to umpires.

 

[RoboRocks]

Nice joke

Why would it be a joke? The guilty man has been punished so hopefully we can finally see some cricket played in spirit. Both teams need to put it behind them now and try to keep to the spirit of the game.

 

[handsome]

Why would it be a joke? The guilty man has been punished so hopefully we can finally see some cricket played in spirit. Both teams need to put it behind them now and try to keep to the spirit of the game.

Let Australia and thier Captain understand the Spirit of the game and then talk of all this.

 

[Harrypotter_fan]

How do you know he is guilty? There is no proof.

 

[shan111]

hehe what australia did in this test match will change the cricket world.Bhajji got the ban on the basis of players reports.Now Australian team have to be careful while sledging becoz other teams can also use this card and report any australian player who is sledging.And ICC have to punish those also.So they will fall in this trap soon.Becoz they are the one who like to play mind games and sledge the other teams and their players.So aussies be careful.You will fall into this trap soon.

Nah.. they would not fall on the trap as they got ICC by thier side.

 

[usy]

Is it always like this in India VS Australia or is it first time?

 

[varunvgiri]

Why would it be a joke? The guilty man has been punished so hopefully we can finally see some cricket played in spirit. Both teams need to put it behind them now and try to keep to the spirit of the game.

What guilty man. Have you seen the match. Read my above post buddy.


Try to keep the spirit of the game? India played the whole game in the spirit of the game. I cant even imagine what would happened, had it been the Australians who had to take the brunt of the umpiring decisions.

 

[pal]

No audio or video evidence were used in the hearing, which would indicate that Proctor took the word of Ponting and the other Aussie players over the word of Kumble and Tendulkar. So, it comes down to using hearsay to ban a player for three matches and in that, it sets a pretty dangerous precedent. What is to stop Ponting from accusing the next player who makes him his bunny of racial abuse?