The Verdict is in on Singh.
Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 5:05 pm
Charges dropped
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/ ... 61,00.html
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/ ... 61,00.html
The BCCI gets their way again. Couldn't see that coming.THE racial villification charges against Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh have been dropped and the three-match ban lifted, reports says.
The ICC appeals commissioner, Justice John Hansen of New Zealand, has reportedly just released his ruling.
Justice Hansen today heard an appeal from Harbhajan and Indian hierarchy against the spinner's three-Test ban for allegedly calling Australian allrounder Andrew Symonds a "monkey'' during the second Test in Sydney.
Justice Hansen heard about five hours of evidence at the Federal Court in Adelaide from key figures in the controversy including Harbhajan, his teammate Sachin Tendulkar, Symonds and Australian captain Ricky Ponting.
Board of Control for Cricket in India vice-president Lalit Modi today said in New Delhi today that India's tour would be abandoned if Harbhajan was found guilty.
"If a clean chit is not given to Harbhajan, the Indian board's decision is to call the team home,'' Modi said.
India, who completed a four-Test series yesterday in Adelaide, are due to play a Twenty20 international against Australia in Melbourne on Friday.
The Indians are then scheduled to contest a one day international tri-series from Sunday that also features Sri Lanka.
A large media throng assembled outside the Federal Court building to greet Harbhajan and others as they arrived for the hearing.
The Indians are seeking to have Harbhajan's charge and penalty - imposed by ICC match referee Mike Procter for allegedly calling Australian allrounder Andrew Symonds a "big monkey'' during the second Test in Sydney - either downgraded or dropped.
Harbhajan arrived in the company of Indian media manager Dr MV Sridhar and made no comment as he entered the court.
Soon after, Indian batsman and key witness Sachin Tendulkar arrived, dropped off by Cricket Australia chairman Creagh O'Connor.
The pair shared a joke as they entered the building at the second attempt after mistakenly starting off towards a cafe next door.
Australia's contributors to the hearing - Symonds, Michael Clarke, Matthew Hayden and captain Ricky Ponting - chose to avoid the media by entering the building via a side entrance.
The hearing is expected to end for the day around 5.30pm Melbourne time.
Reporting of the appeal is not permitted but the ICC is expected to issue a summary of evidence after today's hearing.
A second day has been set aside in case the issue cannot be resolved today.
The importance of proceedings can be underlined by the fact that the limited overs portion of India's tour remains in some doubt pending the outcome.
The International Cricket Council will shortly announce its ruling in the case.
ICC appeals commissioner, Justice John Hansen of New Zealand, will detail his ruling about 1800 AEDT.
Justice Hansen today heard an appeal from Harbhajan and Indian hierarchy against the spinner's three-Test ban for allegedly calling Australian allrounder Andrew Symonds a "monkey'' during the second Test in Sydney.
Justice Hansen heard about five hours of evidence at the Federal Court in Adelaide from key figures in the controversy including Harbhajan, his teammate Sachin Tendulkar, Symonds and Australian captain Ricky Ponting.
Board of Control for Cricket in India vice-president Lalit Modi today said in New Delhi today that India's tour would be abandoned if Harbhajan was found guilty.
"If a clean chit is not given to Harbhajan, the Indian board's decision is to call the team home,'' Modi said.
India, which completed a four-Test series yesterday in Adelaide, are due to play a Twenty20 international against Australia in Melbourne on Friday.
The Indians are then scheduled to contest a one day international tri-series from Sunday that also features Sri Lanka.
In the immediate aftermath of the Sydney Test, the Indian Cricket Board (BCCI) threatened to abandon the tour if the guilty verdict and penalty was not repealed, and it hung in limbo for two days before the Indians resumed with a tour match in Canberra.
Last night Indian captain Anil Kumble declined to rule out the possibility that such extreme measures would again be considered if Harbhajan's ban was upheld.
Such a decision would cost the BCCI a considerable amount of money both in terms of lost revenue and the inevitable ICC sanction that would result from breaching their tour contract.
"I think we will cross the bridge when we get there so I don't want to make any comment at this point,'' Kumble said.
Relations between the Australian and Indian teams have improved noticeably since the final day in Sydney, Ricky Ponting and Harbhajan sharing a handshake early in the match and Indian players unanimously warm in their farewells to retiring wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist.
Much of the heat went out of their dealings after Kumble withdrew India's reciprocal charge, against Brad Hogg for calling Indian players "bastards'', prior to the third Test in Perth, but India's captain could not say whether the Australians were compelled to do the same for Harbhajan.
Meanwhile, angry Indian cricket board officials were refusing last night to allow new evidence in the appeal, despite the possibility it could clear the fiery spinner.
Judge Hansen revealed yesterday that previously unavailable stump microphone audio from the Sydney Test could hold the key to proving whether Harbhajan had called Andrew Symonds a "big monkey".
But Board of Control for Cricket in India officials were last night questioning why the audio was suddenly available, and whether it had been tampered with.
For this reason, they want the audio banned.
"The evidence could be tampered. It could be doctored," a BCCI spokesman said last night.
"We wouldn't allow this so-called fresh evidence to surface after so many days."
It is understood the stump microphone picked up Michael Clarke expressing his displeasure to umpires Steve Bucknor and Mark Benson about Harbhajan's alleged comment, and Matthew Hayden's verbal attack on Harbhajan after the incident.
And a report in an Indian newspaper says Symonds is heard saying “what you are saying is racist”.
But it appears the crucial piece of evidence - the chat between Harbhajan and Symonds - was missed.
This means there is likely to be no third-party evidence the word "monkey" had been uttered.
If the audio is used, it could provide further ammunition for some Indian officials to call for the tour to be abandoned - especially if Harbhajan's three-Test ban is not overturned.
Harbhajan was found guilty at the initial marathon hearing immediately after the SCG Test, but his ban was put on hold when India appealed against match referee Mike Procter's finding.
Harbhajan still maintains his innocence.