India tour of Australia off
The BCCI has suspended India’s tour of Australia, following the three test suspension of Harbhajan Singh for racial abuse.
The board arrived at its decision less than 24 hours after its side lost a highly controversial second test, marred by a string of bad umpiring decisions and claims of bad sportsmanship. The survival of the tour will depend on an appeal against Singh’s ban.
Harbhajan was grilled by match referee Mike Proctor in a marathon six hour hearing, where the off-spinner denied calling Andrew Symonds ‘a monkey’. The suspension was handed out after 2am.
“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.
“The Indian Board realises the game of cricket is paramount but so too is the honour of the Indian team and for that matter every Indian.
“To vindicate its position, the Board will fight the blatantly false and unfair slur on an Indian player.”
On a day of drama, the touring squad sat in a bus outside its Sydney hotel for two hours, as crisis talks took place between captain Anil Kumble and BCCI officials. The squad was to travel to Canberra, stopping at the Bradman Museum in Bowral during the trip.
The third test is due to start in nine days, with another test and a month-long one day tournament scheduled.
“It’s understandable in many respects that emotions are still running high, after a match like that,” said Cricket Australia boss James Sutherland.
India has officially filed a complaint against leg-spinner Brad Hogg, who has been accused of calling an Indian player ‘a bastard’, a term of derision on the subcontinent.
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[...] India tour of Australia off [...]
The man of the match should be Mr Bucknor. Nobody has brough disgrace to the game as mr Bucknor has. He probably was seeking some publicity before being sent home.
Also Australia does not need Mr Bucknor’s support to beat India but looks like they were so thrilled to get it unasked. It is not important to win it is important to win gracefully. Bangladesh team probably commands more respect than the Australia team.