[cypher]

I really can't believe what is happening down there. Why is the BCCI hesitant to take up the matter? After seeing what happened in this test, it's ridiculous to say that Bucknor made "errors". This is blatant cheating and Bucknor should be accused of cheating. Why is our response so cautious? Come on, if the BCCI does not have the guts to stand up for the Indian team, we don't have anyone to blame but ourselves (BCCI).

Regarding Bhajji's alleged comment, I personally don't think he said it. Though if he did, it was a very stupid thing to do. Calling a person of African/Aboriginal descent a monkey is considered racist in any International sport and the ICC has specific rules about racism. (Funny thing, is that the "Monkey" taunt was recognized as a racist slur, and these rules were put in place to prevent white Europeans from abusing players of African origin.)

There are no penalties for normal abuses that can be directed at any player irrespective of race; that's why its tolerable to insult someone wife or sister and call someone a b*****d - it's not race specific, and can be returned in kind.

But since it is one man's word against another's - no one can prove anything. Where's the proof, that Bhaji called Symonds a monkey? That is why I am shocked that Bhajji has been banned. The match referee has proved that he is completely biased if he's decided the case just based on Symond's verbal claim.

The BCCI should ask the team not to play, till this issue is sorted out.

[spadival]

Looks like there are 15 players playing for Australia - 11 + 3 umpires + Match referee. This monkey business is nothing more than an underhand strategy to get Bhajji out of the third test.

[jraj]

Originally Posted by prince_pervez

The reaction Slater gave was unbelievable. He fought with the Umpire throwing his arms in the air whilst arging with the him. What he does next is more shocking. He goes upto Dravid and starts arguing with him very very close to his face, in his face. A lil closer, and they might have kissed through the helmet grill. I was very very disgusted and left me angry. I don't know whether he was fined or not. Does anyone ? I sincerely hope Dravid wasn't fined for listening to Slater. Well, quite possible, the way things are going for India abroad, anythings possible.

Slater went scott free.He was not even fined.
Today Cricinfo has quoted Symmonds saying that he had a go at Bhajji as he saw Harbhajan patting on Lee's back.Bhajji was surely responding to whatever Symonds had told him.
If Aussies are not man enough to handle what is being told back to them,why open their sickening mouth at the first place.Cant the game be played that way.
I am sure if this series goes on,we would have more slanging contest as the One day specialists like Uthappa\Kartik\Gambhir etc never shy away from something thrown at them

[Steeroid]

Originally Posted by spadival

Looks like there are 15 players playing for Australia - 11 + 3 umpires + Match referee. This monkey business is nothing more than an underhand strategy to get Bhajji out of the third test.

The monkey business is necessary to take the spotlight away from the really bad and so obviously biased umpiring.

Isnt this obvious?

[diabloo]

Some history.

• During the last one-day match in Mumbai, on the field Harbhajan called Symonds a monkey.
• An upset Symonds reported the incident to Australia's officials following the match and attempted to defuse it. The Queenslander knocked on India's team dressing-room door and asked to speak to Harbhajan. After explaining how he felt about the term, which infers someone is sub-human, Harbhajan said he was sorry and agreed not to use it again.
• This explains why the Australians in general and Ponting in particular were so incensed when Harbhajan again clashed with Symonds on the field on Friday.
• "There is zero chance that Harbhajan did not know what he was saying was derogatory given the history of the incident," one former player said.
• Another said: "The word monkey was used because he knows that it upsets Symonds."
• Australia listed five witnesses to attend last night's hearing - Symonds, Ponting, Brett Lee, Matthew Hayden and Michael Clarke.
• Scheduled to appear with Harbhajan was his batting partner at the time, Sachin Tendulkar, along with skipper Anil Kumble, manager Chetan Chauhan and media manager MV Sridhar.
• The International Cricket Council appointed British lawyer Nigel Peters to advise Procter. The alleged offence falls under 3.3 of the ICC code of conduct, which refers to players or team officials "using language or gestures that offends, insults, humiliates, intimidates, threatens, disparages or vilifies another person on the basis of that person's race, religion, gender, colour, descent, or national or ethnic origin".
• There was uncertainty over the strength of the case against Harbhajan. Procter said on Saturday that neither of the umpires, Steve Bucknor of the West Indies, nor England's Mark Benson, had heard anything untoward.

Harbhajan 'broke a deal' on abuse | The Australian

[normally_crazy]

I am hoping and praying that the BCCI calls this tour off.

And I would love to see the Indian crowds heckling Symonds with chants of "MONKEY" if he ever comes to play here in India. I would really want to see the Indian public making life 100 times more difficult for Symonds that what the Aussie public did to Muralitharan.

And then when the crowds are cleared - let the CHEATER AUSSIES play in empty stadia.

For Gods sake why is the BCCI thinking so much ? We are the biggest, richest and strongest board as far as finance is concerned in the cricketing world. take India out of any tournament and see what happens - like Sharjah suffered when we decided not to play there.

Call this tour off. PERIOD.

[Nikhilb2008]

Unfortunately, the people in charge of cricket, dont have the b@||s to make the right decision and withdraw from the tour.

It is the same case with our politics. no one with guts to make the right decision and stick to it.

[LLL]

Agreed, but Aussies and Bucknor/benson/Procter are not welcome in my country. BCCI should not invite them anymore nor should ICL sign them up.

[cypher]

here's an idea for Kumble for the next Test -
Ask your batsmen to bowl and play your bowlers as batsmen. Get all out for 50 runs and walk away from the test. Or, play only reserve players and ask all the top players to sit out.

I wonder - Even with all the $$$ power behind the BCCI, we somehow can't leverage it when needed.

[amit]

It seems the Australian media has come out in support of Team India. But it's mainly former cricketer's talking about the poor umpiring and unacceptable behavior from the home team players.

Teams playing against Australia fail to understand that banter, gamesmanship, sledging or whatever anyone would like to call. It is just the way Australian kids joust and play on the schoolyard and backyards," Waugh wrote.

Waugh should add that if Australians do it, it's playing hard, if the opposition does it, it's racism. Aussies are cry babies. I thought there were men.

What Ponting and his team don't realise is that every victory of theirs from now on will be looked at with suspicion. In their desparation to win, the aussies have lost all their crediblity. What a tragedy for a world champion. And Ponting is going to go down in history as probably the dirtiest cheating captain of Australia.

[normally_crazy]

Originally Posted by LLL

BCCI should not invite them anymore nor should ICL sign them up.

Another very good and valid point. No ICL / IPL for them.

Also I would love to see all the advertisers - cancel the contracts with all Aussie players IMMEDIATELY.

[LLL]

CNN-IBN just reporting that Mike Procter was part of the SA team that objected to england bringing a black player to SA. The tour was canceled and then SA was banned.

So a case of a racist being a judge?

[cypher]

Originally Posted by normally_crazy

Also I would love to see all the advertisers - cancel the contracts with all Aussie players IMMEDIATELY.

That should happen automatically, unless an advertiser wants to commit hara-kiri. The negative sentiment now is strong enough to ensure that any product being endorsed by an Aussie would be torched and burnt to the ground.

[snaronikar]

If BCCI does not care about these (as they are politicians), let the manager and captain take the decision and board the next available flight. The BCCI cannot ban all the players for this. If they do, then who will be available for playing? This will beat them fair and square on their face - to the BCCI, to Aussies and to ICC.

Just heard from friend, the team was supposed to leave for Canberra today morning, they have not left and are still in Sydney. Anything ideas what's cooking in Indian camp??

[maddy42]

khaadu75 Great way to appeal for racism. Then take your entire team and say they actually heard each player calling them Monkey.
One more thing i want to add is when clark took ganguly's catch he says F@#$ O#$%
So is this right? Is the bloody match refree blind or was he taking a leak that he did not see it. Gavaskar is pissed off but he doesnt do anything which can help the team other than to speak on tv!! This doesnt help.
I only think that Dalmiya was a better person as the BCCI president as he got all the B#$%s to twist The ICC's arms and get them to think fair and square. When you have the richest cricket body in the world richer than the ICC why do they get scared of them.
How come ponting can be so two faced. I dont think India should continue with this tour.
They should go to the next stadium and then not agree to come out. Let cricket Australia go to hell. Let them end up paying their A@# off to the crowd and the TV channels.