Harbhajan cleared

Harbhajan Singh has had his three-Test ban dropped after Justice John Hansen cleared him of making racial comments during the Sydney Test. I have to rush out and won't be in the office today so I leave this as an open thread for people to leave their views, which will be moderated later. But I make the following views:

1) If they felt that he had done nothing wrong, India were right to fight this to clear his name. They should now refrain from gloating or complaining about being picked on and get on with the cricket.

2) If Australia thought they had heard a racial slur, they were right to complain. They should now accept that they were mistaken, not complain about the verdict and get on with the cricket.

3) Regardless of racial abuse, the Test series was ugly in places, with both sides going a bit too far in tub-thumping and competitiveness. In Adelaide, India's jostling of the umpire was unseemly and, although I did not see this incident, there was an allegation that Karthik spat at Clarke. Clearly this is unacceptable. Harbhajan's exoneration should not overshadow the fact that Test cricket was not being played by grown-ups this winter.

4) The ICC were aware of the quality of evidence before the appeal and whether there was the need for lengthy testimony and legal investigation. That the hearing was concluded after only one day bothers me. The ICC came close to bending their own rules to suspend the hearing until after the Test series, but there were more than six days between Hansen being appointed and the Perth Test starting, plenty of time it now appears to have allowed an appeal.

Comments

[kottresh]

This is an Indian point of view! The abuse, 'Teri maki' is more offending than the abuse, 'Monkey'! Looks like Only Indians can understand this! I find the judgement perfect! It would have been more perfect if Symonds and Harbajan Singh BOTH received a couple of match suspensions. Both were guilty - one for provoking and the other for reacting and his history. I fail to understand why can't people be neutral and look at the truth!

[rext]

Five convictions for Harbijhan and a $3000 fine??!!
Anyone who defends this man has a seriously corrupted set of values.
As President Truman said "When you've got them by the ..... their hearts and minds will follow!"
Sounds like the relationship between the BCCI and the ICC to me!

[John]

The crowds in Mumbai chanted racial abuse BECAUSE of the racist abuse hurled by aussie crowds in the preceeding couple of years against touring teams. Its always aussies who start these sort of things.(including their prime minister, who had brazenly attacked Murali's action).
On the field, without the sledging, the aussie cricketers lose half their potency straightaway.
Just look at their pathetic performance in Adelaide test- less than 3 runs per over! Does anyone have any doubts that aussies were scared shit of LOSING the final test?

I would not be surprised if all the comments/blogs made by people assuming famous names (Gandhi, vengsarkar, Richards, Pope, George Bush etc etc) were actually written by ONE person- just to make it appear that there is overwhelming aussie support. Far from it- you aussie whingers will always remain wretched morons....

[Vick Suri]

1. Bhajji probably said that and if he did should have been banned BUT THERE IS NO PROOF so cant be sentenced. Basic rule of law, old chaps.

2. One thing is for sure though - lot of fun yanking the you know what of the erstwhile IMPERIAL cricket council big boys

Vick Suri, New Delhi, India

[Urban_legend]

I'd say the extended comments by Judge Hansen put things into a rather different perspective. Harbhajan is definitely to blame but for first time an official has said that Symonds is to blame as well for instigating. I quite like his retort to the Symonds comment that cricket is not about being friendly.

[Kap]

Tendulkar is accused of "creative testimony" by a previous Australian contributor. Having read Hansen's judgement I was wondering what the Aussies make of the fact that both Clarke and Hayden claimed to have have heard the monkey taunt yet could not recall the abuse from Symonds that ignited the situation. Very strange that Clarke claimed Symonds said nothing ( a point contradicted by Symonds himself) whilst Hayden rather conveniently heard nothing except "big monkey". Pardon me and Justice Hansen for doubting their persuasive testimony when Symonds himself admitted he could possibly have misheard a Punjabi cuss as monkey. Thankfully in a court of law the Aussie claim to be the guardians of the spirit of cricket is not accepted without question. After today's publication of Hansen's judgement I assume the Aussie press pack will reassess their hysterically xenophobic take on how the BCCI bought a perverse justice. Can we look forward to Symonds being charged for the abuse that kicked this all off?

[bharath]

OK i am sick and tired of this shit .. and just to clear all air .. im indian.. look both sides are guilty ... I just hope ppl dont confuse the BCCI and the indian cricket team .. so those against the BCCI .. dont hate our team .. coz u must understand that they are as helpless... look whatever said and done .. both symonds and harbhajan are at fault .. and honestly i dont give a crap.. i saw some brilliant cricket some crap cricket and some demolition .. ITS SAD THAT SUCH A NICE CONTEST IS MARRED BY A COUPLE OF IDIOTS ! .. . i log onto cricinfo expecting some nice coverage regarding the contest and all i get is a load of rubbish .. and PS .. UNFORTUNATELY .. MONEY DOES TALK .. AND AS MUCH AS WE INDIANS HATE TO ADMIT IT .. THE BCCI IS COMPOSED OF A BUNCH OF DICKS ..

[Clint Eastwood]

The Indian Cricket Board reminds me of David Brent from the Office

[Ashok]

To put things in perspective:

1/ Harbhajan Singh was charged for racially abusing Symonds.

2/ Brad Hogg was charged for abusing Indian players using a word that would have surely caused a fistfight in India

3/ The Indians withdrew the charge, Cricket Australia did not reciprocate the show of goodwill

4/ The Indians resorted to blatant muscle flexing to bulldoze their way through.

Granted that the BCCI's conduct wasn't exemplary, but what about Cricket Australia's own conduct? And secondly, who started the entire tussle?

And who, in the end, has the right claim the moral high ground?

[Billy Idol]

I watched it myself on TV: as the players walk off the ground, Dinesh Karthick first gives Clarke the evil eye and then spits directly across his path. The footage is still on my DVR machine. This, because Clarke stood his ground when the Indians appealed very strongly for a catch that quite clearly never hit the bat ... a fact that, I point out, must have been pretty obvious to Karthick given the position he was fielding in.

But that's right, Clarke's dishonest, isn't he? I forgot about that. Of course he is. A man records his first duck in Test cricket, stands there in shock for a few seconds and looks disbelievingly down the pitch, but then leaves immediately when the umpire signals ... well, yes, that would prove dishonesty if the player is Australian. On the other hand, when an Indian player called Ishant gets out in dramatic circumstances (but in an equally unambiguous manner), so that his team loses a match they really should have drawn, it's OK for him to stand there in shock for a few seconds staring down the pitch in disbelief...

[Nelson Mandela]

So the facts are now in. Their national board did threaten to strike because they wanted their players to be free continue to be allowed abuse black players with impunity under the brilliant argument that Indians (a) can't be racist therefore even if they say patently racist things they don't really mean it and (b) they like monkeys!

And now apparently they want the rule to be that racist abuse isnt' punishable as long as the speaker says they didn't mean to be offensive even if they have previously told that it is racist and why. In line with that policy I'm sure some people here might like to say a few things to some posters - in a non-offensive way of course, and strictly in line with their cultures (mine is African)

[Peter Lalor]

Ricky Ponting manages a team of various shades and hues and ethnicity and race.. Chinese, Melanesian, Anglo/ Caribbean, Anglo/Koori, all sorts, all manner of heritage and ancestry. Introspector cannot seem to grasp that it ain't all white.. some are even freckled..

what he sees, and what actually IS , is worlds apart. .. but never mind all that. What the ancestry of any Au player is , is their own business, and not mine, and it doesn't really matter what the colour of the adressee or adresser is. It was meant to obscenely abuse, and that's that. We know that, because HARBHAJAN PLEADED GUILTY TO IT.

So has Proctor been hung out to dry? Probably. Possibly. Has Symonds? absolutely. Has Harbhajan?? in a way, yes. From stating he said NOTHING, not even good morning, to now stating he was offensively abusive, either he was leant on, or he found a way out of a heavier matter. Dont know, But I am curious about that bit of it all.

[George Bush]

The "racist" slur generates an emotional response and Procter was denied a full test career by South Africa's isolation due to its apartheid policies. We will see whether Judge Hansen thinks Procter could have been more objective. If it is based on actual evidence or lack thereof then we have a conclusion. Some people won't like it. That's life.

One thing I haven't seen mentioned much is the actual wording used by Judge Hansen: "not proven". Doesn't Scottish law use verdicts like this? That's not saying Harbhajan did use the m-word and it's not saying he didn't use the m-word. It's saying that there isn't any evidence to back the allegation up.

Who is on the ICC's match referee panel these days?

How about a profile of each referee and their record as a referee so people can compare them.

Remember the furore after Mike Denness acted against four Indian players in South Africa in 2001? Remember that the BCCI threatened to pull out of that tour? The UCBSA capitualted before the BCCI and refused Denness entry to the ground for the next test. This is standard BCCI bullying tactics.

PS I am thinkin about those Nukes!

[Inziman Ul Haq]

There are some other points to consider. Symonds was clearly subject to racial abuse on the recent tour of India. The BCCI flatly denied it until caught on television camera.

In the most recent test, Sourav Ganguly refused to walk when clearly caught (Clarke's was 50/50), and, infact, only departed after waiting for replays. Also, Danesh Kartik spat at Michael Clarke, and the Indians vociferously appealed when the batsmen was cleary not out. So much for India always playing in the 'spirit of cricket.'

Far more important than the fact that the Indians are no more angels than the Australians, is the degree to which the ICC has been held to ransom by the BCCI. The BCCI have behaved like petulent children.

[Miller Chill]

is spitting at someone a 'high caste thing' or a 'low caste thing'... ??

I merely enquire.. Perhaps among Dinesh Karthick's social parameters , spitting on another person is acceptable. It must be rather awkward to walk among them in that case.. are they segregated?

the thing is, I can't think of any other social group and I include New Guinea Highlanders who were only discovered 70 years ago and who only discovered other tribes at the same time, who regard that as anything other than revolting.

[Martin Luther King]

I have many Indian friends - both West Indians of 'East Indian' descent and Indians straight from India itself. So I do understand the caste system.

I reject the idea that it is hard for an Indian to be a racist. I have encountered plenty who find it very easy, whether high caste, low caste or no caste.

Just because you have been a victim of racism, does not mean that you are incapable of being racist right back. That is nonsense.

I have seen it suggested that Harbhajan used the term 'terri manki' or something else that sounded like 'monkey' in order to offend but get away with it.

IF he did that, it was malicious, slimy and underhand, ESPECIALLY after all the controversy that term caused during the Australian tour of India. I cannot buy the argument either that Indians or at least Harbhajan does understand why the term 'monkey' would be offensive - from accounts, Symmonds EXPLAINED this to him back in October.

If Harbhajan really thinks this term is so inoffensive to black people, I urge him to try it next time he comes to the West Indies - maybe in some friendly place like Jamaica.

[Father Maroney]

After all that occurred in the previous tour, the Indian and Australian boards had clearly defined that the monkey slur is racist in this context.
There is no excuse.
The ICC may as well stop monkeying around and let the BCCI grind the organ.

[Billy Joel]

Harry Truman, Doris Day, Red China, Johnnie Ray
South Pacific, Walter Winchell, Joe DiMaggio

Joe McCarthy, Richard Nixon, Studebaker, television
North Korea, South Korea, Marilyn Monroe

Rosenbergs, H-Bomb, Sugar Ray, Panmunjom
Brando, "The King and I", and "The Catcher in the Rye"

Eisenhower, vaccine, England's got a new queen
Marciano, Liberace, Santayana goodbye

CHORUS
We didn't start the fire
It was always burning
Since the world's been turning
We didn't start the fire
No we didn't light it
But we tried to fight it

Josef Stalin, Malenkov, Nasser and Prokofiev
Rockefeller, Campanella, Communist Bloc

Roy Cohn, Juan Peron, Toscanini, dacron
Dien Bien Phu Falls, "Rock Around the Clock"

Einstein, James Dean, Brooklyn's got a winning team
Davy Crockett, "Peter Pan", Elvis Presley, Disneyland

Bardot, Budapest, Alabama, Khrushchev
Princess Grace, "Peyton Place", trouble in the Suez

CHORUS

Little Rock, Pasternak, Mickey Mantle, Kerouac
Sputnik, Chou En-Lai, "Bridge on the River Kwai"

Lebanon, Charles de Gaulle, California baseball
Starkweather, homicide, children of thalidomide

Buddy Holly, "Ben-Hur", space monkey, Mafia
hula hoops, Castro, Edsel is a no go

U2, Syngman Rhee, payola and Kennedy
Chubby Checker, "Psycho", Belgians in the Congo

CHORUS

Hemingway, Eichmann, "Stranger in a Strange Land"
Dylan, Berlin, Bay of Pigs Invasion

"Lawrence of Arabia", British Beatlemania
Ole Miss, John Glenn, Liston beats Patterson

Pope Paul, Malcolm X, British politician sex
JFK, blown away, what else do I have to say

CHORUS

Birth control, Ho Chi Minh, Richard Nixon, back again
Moonshot, Woodstock, Watergate, punk rock
Begin, Reagan, Palestine, terror on the airline
Ayatollolah's in Iran, Russians in Afghanistan

"Wheel of Fortune" , Sally Ride, heavy metal, suicide
Foreign debts, homeless vets, AIDS, Crack, Bernie Goetz
Hypodermics on the shores, China's under martial law
Rock and Roller Cola Wars, I can't take it anymore

CHORUS

We didn't start the fire
But when we are gone
Will it still burn on, and on, and on, and on...

[Dilip Vengsakar]

I'm an Indian guy who loves giving it to big West Indian women so I know a thing or two about Monkeys. They are gorgeous, the bigger the better and they go like the clappers.

[The Pope]

Surely issues such as racism are greater than the game itself, and surely the good of the game outweighs a cricketing nation's need to clear it's players name at all costs.

As for the spitting incident involving Michael Clarke, I wonder what the BCCI's spin on that one will be? (Perhaps the player in question was really sneezing?)

India have disgraced themselves on this tour from Tendulkar's 'creative' testimony to Singh's 'abuse' to Gavaskar's attack on Mike Procter to the BCCI's bullying.

If the cricketing world as a whole accepts this type of cr*p
and 'moves on' as the BCCI would hope, then we are doomed to play on their terms from here on.

he whole affair just disgusts me.

[MAHATMA GANDHI]

most Indians are surprised to hear that Symonds is of Black descent! You know why? He looks as white to us as anyone else in the Aussie team! In fact, I was shocked to hear he is of Black descent, though I have seen many Blacks myself!

But a Monkey is a Monkey. Monkey see. Monkey do.

[Lefty Lampton]

Like the firings of Hair, Bucknor and (effectively) Mike Dennis and now Proctor, this will have long reaching consequences.

For one, India will never abide by the laws of the game. This stinking back room deal is the cricket equivalent of the Munich Agreement in '38 (ie "peace with honour"). India will simply charter a plane everytime they don't get their way. Why wouldn't they, now that they have the ICC under their heal?

Expect other teams (eg Pakistan re the Oval) to follow suit. When the rule of law breaks down, anarchy follows.

Sledging will now also be forever a part of the game. Bajji did about the worst thing a player can do (short of physical assualt) and he got away with it. Any player charged from now on can do so knowing that the worse that will happen is a trifling fine.

In future, the Australians will also redraft their broadcasting contracts so that they can't be sued if the Indians take their bat and ball home

[Roy Race]

you can carry on arguing ad infinitum about what was or wasn't said, what was or wasn't pleaded, and what Harbajan did or did not have for breakfast that morning. Until someone comes out and tell us the whole story in my eyes there is no point raking over the maybes.

What there is a point in doing, however, is discussing the overall point of Patrick's excellent article, which is the role of the ICC in not only this matter but the whole issue of the future of cricket. They are precariously placed, because up to a point for financial reasons they are forced to bow to the sub-continental block, because it is there that the money comes from, as illustrated by the ludicrous salaries the new ICL is generating.

Having said that, what they are seemingly not doing at present, as Patrick says, is taking a stand on any matter. On three occasions now (4 if you count the World Cup Final farce), the ICC have been happier scapegoating its employees, rather than taking the in question Asian team to task (World Cup Final excepted - but did banning elite umpires from the Twenty20 WC achieve anything?). There are few umpires or players in the game who agree with its handling of Hair (or whisper it quietly agree with the overall decision - what's that Rudi? - and is someone still looking for that ball?), or the treatment of Bucknor (don't forget another ICC Elite Umpire). At some stage the ICC has to put its foot down, and stop pretending the game is in rude health - it is sick, but the main governing body is happier appeasing the big financial power-bloc rather than getting to the root of the problem...

[John Cleese]

I'm a lumberjack and I'm okay...

Don't mention the War.

[Sir Viv Richards]

Yes, there has always been racism in cricket, aimed at those of 'brown and black skinned countries' as you put it.

But your comment that Procter chose to believe white skins over brown skins is nonsense. Last I checked, Andrew Symmonds was a black man. Stop trying to make out that the Indians are the victims of racism here and even worse - that the BCCI is standing up to racism. What a joke! The same BCCI that disingenuously claimed that their fans were not behaving in a racist manner towards Symmonds when Aus played in India last year? Until it was captured on video? That BCCI?

The BCCI is the real hangover from the colonial era - their spoilt, high-handed behaviour is but the latest manifestation of the bullying and imperial attitude that has long plagued cricket.

So with all that said, kindly don't try to bring us black skinned West Indians (of which Symmonds is biologically one) into your fight - it is CLEAR we are not on the same side.

[Tim's english conquest]

find it extremely dodgy that at the first hearing, Harbhajan claimed he didn't say ANYTHING yet now he admits he used abusive language.

I find it even more dodgy in light of the fact that India's team manager Chauhan basically admitted that it was not even the first time something offensive had been said when he claimed that Symmonds broke a 'pact' that he and Harbhajan had made not to abuse each other back in October 07. (http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/ausvind/content/current/story/330227.html)

I find it even dodgier that Chauhan's story basically matches that of the Australian players who said that Harbhajan had racially abused Symmonds before and he decided to just work it out with him personally and that he EXPLAINED that he considers it racially offensive.

Far be it from me to blindly defend the Aussiesm- can't stand them for the most part and was backing India until this went down.

But I am a black woman (West Indian) and I can tell you that I find the term 'monkey' offensive. I also find it offensive that Harbhajan is getting away with this due to the bullying from the BCCI. I also find it slimy the way he has been bobbing and weaving and trying to worm his way out of this on a dodgy technicality 'well no-one HEARD me say it and I'm not telling...'. If he was a real man, he would come clean and if there was need for apology do so.

[Andy Bull]

It's really good to see this blog has managed to steer away from the slanging and develop into an interesting and informed discussion. That's what these things, especially when they're about issues like this, should be for.

To many: Of course the appeal has to be able to over-rule the original judgement, but it needs to be clear why. That may become clearer tomorrow.

No offical is above reproach, but the wooliness with which the ICC manages that process of reproach is damaging the game.

[Tenzing]

so he pleads guilty to being obscenely offensive.

there ya go.

it wasnt so much the adjudicators that changed the conviction. It was Harbhajan who changed his plea.

Jan 4th. Not guilty of saying anything , even good morning.

Jan 29th. Pleads guilty to saying remarks of an obscenely offensive nature.

so what changed Harbhajans perspective from Jan 4th and Mike Proctor, to Jan 29th, Judge Hansen?

beats me!!. I have a theory that Tendulkar and Kumble were feeling a bit hosed and backed into a corner they couldn't possibly sustain. Or maybe Harbhajan got sick of it all, or maybe he preferred being convicted as obscene instead of racially motivated. I dont know. I dont care much. He's India's problem.

2 different positions, indeed.

[Edmund Hillary]

I don't think there's much I can add to the main point of the article (although I agree, there is a definite need for clarity in why this decision was reversed, or even reached in the first place). However, there was a good point on the BBC's website about Shane Bond today (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/7215029.stm). Apparently he's getting 8 times the value of his central contract for playing in the ICL... To be honest, if the figures quoted are correct who can blame him for jumping ship? Also, perhaps playing a bit of hit'n'giggle will prolong his career a bit to, eh?

He can buy siox lots of fush and chups

[Bono]

This decision by the ICC is a nail in the coffin of the credibility of the sport. How on earth can match referees now have any real authority when it is clear the ICC have no appetite in supporting them in the tough decisions they have to make on the pitch? It is incredible that the Indian team have now appealed on technicalities and won - it is unbelievable that they have effectively demanded and got the right to use which match officials will referee their games. I find the decision ludicrous - level 2.8, level 3 - who cares...the language used was intended to offend, it offended, end of. The player should have been reprimanded and the Indian side should have accepted the decision of the match referee.

But then again, when - like football - the game is now all about the money (and the Indian Cricket authorities simply hinting at pulling out scares the accountants), what else can we expect? Just how will the next referee make any decisions in India's next game - will he have a hotline to the ICC to ensure his decision to say 'out' is OK by them?

[Steel]

In court judges are often required to choose which witnesses are credible and which are not - that is, who to believe. That is all Procter did.

The Indian claim that it is impossible for an Indian to be racist is absurd - every country has racist people (Australia included) - and the crowd behaviour in India when Australia toured gives the lie to this. Whether or not this particular player used racial abuse is the question.

However, the whole dispute has been a case of cricket - and the players involved - taking itself too seriously. Just hit the "bastard" for six next time you face him if he really said it (bastard not being a word listed by either team as offensive and one that Jeff Thompson used to refer to Bradman so it must be ok).

Anyway, for a unique critique of the whole mess and some fun monkey business to boot, check out www.free-bubbles.com

Good for a laugh - Singh agrees

[Wayne Carey]

For a video replay of the incident, check the Sydney Morning Herald website.

Transcript of the Audio from stump mic.

TRANSCRIPT of audio picked up from the Nine Network stump microphone of alleged incident between Harbhajan Singh and Andrew Symonds at the SCG Test this month.
Symonds walks up to Harbhajan at the end of an over.
Symonds: "Go and yell at your teammates .... You called me monkey again."
Matthew Hayden: "Twice. You've got a witness now champ."
Hayden approaches Harbhajan.
Hayden: "That's the last time."
Harbhajan: "No listen he started it."
Hayden: "Doesn't matter mate, it's racial vilification mate. It's a shit word and you know it."
Soon after, Michael Clarke approaches umpire Mark Benson.
Clarke: "It's not the first time. He done it in India and got into strife. That's the second time he's done it."
Captain Ricky Ponting walks up to Benson and gestures towards fellow umpire Steve Bucknor.
Ponting: "Go and tell him. Go and tell him straight away."
AAP

The ones who must feel a bit silly are Tendulkar and Kumble, who for weeks have said no no, he didnt say anything, suddenly find that Harbhajan has PLEADED GUILTY to Obscene Abuse.. Didnt even wait for the court to adjudicate. Took the rap in place of the heavier one and left Tendulkar and Kumble carrying the can. oh well. on to the 20/20. My only prayer is that Dinesh Karthik doesn't get the bright idea of spitting over players, like he did to Micheal Clarke, Clarke awaiting the umps verdict, which was quite rightly not out. yea. .spitting over a player.. .. about as revolting as it gets.

[Posh Parker]

I don't think that the ICC lacks clarity or transparency; what it lacks is

a. The leadership to govern cricket globally AND
b. The guts to let all individual boards know that they will take decisions that they think are in the best interests of world cricket and to actually act on those decisions.

[Burt Bacharach]

What the world needs now is love, sweet love
It's the only thing that there's just too little of
What the world needs now is love, sweet love,
No not just for some but for everyone.

What the world needs now is love, sweet love
It's the only thing that there's just too little of
What the world needs now is love, sweet love,
No, not just for some but for everyone.

Lord, we don't need another mountain,
There are mountains and hillsides enough to climb
There are oceans and rivers enough to cross,
Enough to last till the end of time.

What the world needs now is love, sweet love
No, not just for some but for everyone.

What the world needs now is love, sweet love
It's the only thing that there's just too little of
What the world needs now is love, sweet love,
No, not just for some, oh, but just for
Every, every, everyone.

[Kid Curry]

I'm in full agreement with you the ICC certainly "needs right now is clarity and transparency of exactly how the ICC's officials have managed to reach two entirely contradictory conclusions"

[Joe Taggart]

I think what is beyond reasonable doubt, is that if a white player had racially abused an Indian player that player - rightly - would not have been suspended but faced the condemnation of all his team mates. And there have been two incidents now when Pakistan, and now India, have thrown their toys out of the pram, and the ICC has gone and bought them new ones.

And for clarity - it's not even acceptable to make racist comments in the heat of battle. Not ever.

[D-Day Dawson]

How was Cambridge? Must have been about 2oC. You would have been able to chill the beers by leaving them in their glass.

ICC is a laugh from the oval test to the World Cup fiasco to bending over backwards for the Indians.

Clive Lloyd should be made head of the ICC. He is the only one with any integrity left.

India should be kicked out of cricket all together.

[Joe two beans]

The Aussies are world champions and will remain there for some yeas to come.

As for Harbijhan, lucky he did play in Adelaide. Lucky for Australia. He got 0-140 odd.

We shouted out "Bring him on from both ends".

Hehehehehe

He may or may not be a racist but he is a very ordinary bowler.

[John John]

James Sutherland and Micheal Brown of CA are both cowards.

The BCCI are Nazis.

As far as I am conscerned the only thing that can clean up the sorry state of the Earth is the entire anialiation of the human race from a nuclear war.

George Bush feel free to push the first button or perhaps Mr Putin.

But the only thing that counts is the World Champion Aussie won the series 2-1 and remain the best team of all time.

All hail the wonderfull world champions of test cricket.

[ARISIN]

(I am Indian, and have lived in Australia for long. I know that the normal Australian you meet on the road is an educated, genial, reasonable and lovely person, so this piece is not directed at them at all. They are among the best people in the world and I respect them. We are talking here about the Australian cricketing establishment, current Ozzie team, and those 'Ozzie supporters' who are still living with history.)

Curious case! The 'big bullies' of the neighbourhood are crying 'foul' at being stood up to by the upstart kids of the local primary school! Imagine 5' 7"s standing up to 6' 4"s! It's just not done, or otherwise unacceptable.

Everyone in this discussion seem to be missing the biggest joke - Australian cricketers calling others racist.

Australia's 'gift' to international cricket was sledging as part of 'hard-nosed professionalism', but it was supposed to be a one way process to help them remain the world dominating force that they are! They made the rules, but those were NEVER meant to be applied to themselves! Remember the cold-war Russian politburo? How come someone is standing up to them?

Symonds starts off the sequence with provocation (admitted by himself) but he is not even remonstrated, but Harbhajan's retaliative remarks cause a furore as 'racism'. Incidentally, calling someone 'bastard' in India is ten-times more offensive than calling someone 'monkey'. Does Symonds, Ponting, Hayden, and especially Hogg or anybody in the Australian team know that? Social differences!

They say India is flexing its cricket-financial muscle today to get the outcomes they want. When the Indian cricketers of the past were fishing in Australian rivers for eels to get a square meal during an Australian tour (not having enough AUD to buy a meal even at Woolworths, and nobody to look into their plight) did someone cry 'racism'? They even had their underwear inspected at Immigration in case they were bringing in germs. Where was the spirit of Australia's cricket community then? Such things not seen as 'racism', one supposes?

You can refuse to accept that the world's old order is changing, yielding place to the new. Yes, as a notable anonymous Ozzie cricketer has stated, Money Talks! This is how the world works. India's economy was not even a decimal point in the world in those earlier days when they came to play in Australia and ate humble pie in all senses. Today India's economy is much bigger than Australia's and growing much faster. So they refuse to lie down and play dead any longer. Surprised?

As an interesting aside, that anonymous cricketer is one amongst many who are very keen to play in the billion dollar Indian IPL - for love of cricket alone, one would guess :-)

So the 'big bullies' need to come to terms with the fact that the local primary school kids have grown up and refuse to accept bullying any longer. Now they have the influence to set several past wrongs right. Don't complain and expect more. Touche.

[Peter McGuinness]

You are quite right to bored of this Patrick. I pity you that it is necessary to post on it, but alas, it is news.

One thing I promise you and everyone who is not an Aussie.

While it is amusing to observe these proceedings from afar, and to (perhaps understandably) rejoice in the turmoil that India's tour here is causing Australians; do not be mistaken. This sort of thing is coming your way. A line has been crossed down here. The ramifications are permanent are relevant in cricket universally. The covert has become overt. The genie is out of the bottle.

The last four weeks have proven that the BCCI runs the game of cricket, lock, stock and barrel. If on-field events are not to their liking, there is clearly nothing stopping them getting the outcomes they want.

There are 60 million reasons why CA rolled over like the cowardly moral and ethical eunuchs they are. They have placed a dollar value on the dignity of the game and on the reputation of it's players for truthfulness. That, Patrick, is beneath contempt. I don't know what's worse. Blackmailing or giving in to it. Line ball.

If anyone thinks that the BCCI is not going to similarly ensure that cricket is conducted to it's precise liking wherever it's team may travel, best to think again.

It's younger players already have the air of royal children, immune from censure or even criticism. Forgivable from the young men, considering that their employer holds the levers of the game to a point of re-engineering the ICC to it's satisfaction, holding tours to ransom and even choosing it's own umpires.

And the biggest thing? The game of cricket is now nothing more or less than a commercial enterprise in which Indian TV magnates and politicians own all the shares. We are all but units of income and to hell with the game. To object is to be racist. There is no honourable position. Check mate.

Off field power playing and posturing has finally made it on to the field, and it ain't subtle.

Oh yes, the matter 'is behind us'. Until the next time things don't go India's way...

Welcome to the great new era. Coming soon to your own back yards.

[sekhar]

I think the Aussies know they are partly guilty of starting this whole thing. You want to make amends for it and not lose $50 million for a mistake of yours. A immature captain (who thought this was the perfect way to put his nemesis in the dock) let the situation exacerbate. I think the players also realized what a monster they created and how much money they would also lose through the IPL contracts only after starting the whole thing. So, they all agreed to backtrack.

It is the hypocrisy of the Aussies determining what is acceptable and what is not acceptable to them that has ensured that they dont have the public with them

[TheEnticer]

Cricket was played by the likes of Kumble and Sachin until Waugh and Ponting came along..not to mention aussie umpires and media started conspiring with them..how else will you explain so many fine spin bowlers being reported by Australian umpires, for their 'allegedly' suspect action months before they were to tour australia... Chauhan and then Murali.. Of course the sri lankans fought and stood up something the old BCCI management never did.. they were only interested in money.. but the new management is answerable to people.. I would like to see Jarman punished for destroying Mongia's career...

[AJ]

It must be really painful for aussie and british reader to see BCCI actually calling the shots. I say all the power to BCCI for doing exactly what the british and aussie boards did for many a decades of last century. Secondly having no evidence means Harbhajan is not guilty because o/w its only a case of his word against symonds and being an India I wud believe what Harbhajan said, I dont hide that fact.

[Manny]

The point that bas been overlooked amongst all of this is that the catalyst for all the unpleasantness was the monkey chants Symonds was subjected to in India (which was denied by the BCCI until they were confronted with photographic evidence). Indians have bleated on an on about how they are not racist despite this action (largely unpunished) by their crowds - pretty amusing that indians are calling other black players monkeys?!

[Dubby]

1. Was Harbhajan's comment (whatever it was) racist or meant to be? - Probably not.
2. Was it offensive and meant to be? - Definitely. There's no point to a sledge if the target does not take offence.
3. Why was the only "black" player targeted? - Because he started the exchange.
4. Was the affair handled well? - Definitely not. You can't find a player guilty of such a serious allegation without conclusive proof. Apparently Procter himself wasn't keen on hearing the case implying that he knew that whatever the judgement he would be crucified by one side or the other. Having said that, I think he grieviously erred. Considering that he had legal assistance in the form of a holidaying QC, this is particularly difficult to understand.
5. Should the BCCI have threatened the ICC (or is it CA) that they would withdraw the team in the event of an unfavourable verdict? - Definitely not. There's no point in a judicial process if one party declares in advance that it will not accept an unfavourable verdict. It is equally unacceptable for the losing party to allege that the verdict has been bought.

Anyone with answers to the following questions :-
a) Did Justice Hansen consider the original charge and after hearing the evidence convict HS on a lesser charge - murder being reduced to manslaughter? or did CA decide to change the charge thereby giving Justice Hansen no option to consider the racism charge?
b) If the latter, was the charge changed because of fears of commercial losses or because their legal team opined that the first charge would not hold? (Both have been reported).
c) Why has no charge been brought against Symonds for offensive behaviour or language which by all accounts was the trigger?
d) How is it that the stump mikes have not recorded the actual exchange between AS and HS?

After the Brit Oval fiasco, the ICC has decided that umpires can no longer declare a match forfeited. They should now decide what sanctions can be given by different officials in the hierarchy starting with umpires. It shouldn’t take a genius to determine that allegations of racism if contested will lead to an unsavoury situation. In the Oval match Hair determined that the condition of the ball had changed and the Pakistanis MUST have done it. Here Procter has concluded that the Australians have no reason to lie and therefore, HS MUST have called AS a monkey. Surprisingly funny ways of arriving at conclusions know that a storm will break loose.

[Dan]

India has been playing these games for years, for example backing Zimbabwe's actions in exchange for ICC votes, and is only getting more brazen as it gains power. The threat to pull out of the tour if the NZ judge didn't find their way shows how low they're willing to go.

Within a couple of years India will demand and receive the right to veto all umpiring appointments and sit in judgement of all its own players.

I'd rather our players made a lot less money, but played the game to rules, accepted appointed umpires and abided by tribunal decisions.

Cricket should be ruled by all via the ICC, not by India alone. The BCCI doesn't own the game any more than the MCC or anyone else.

Anyone who wants to play under the ICC should do so. Anyone who wants to play under the BCCI should feel free to do that. But if Cricket Australia continues to choose the latter path then I'm turning off the TV, driving straight past the MCG and heading for the beach.

[Sujay]

It is sad but this episode proves that 'racism' is alive in cricket today. Symonds states that he came over to have a 'go' at Harbhajan to support his bowler Brett Lee in an altercation with Harbhajan. The ensuring 'conversation' between these two plus other Australians including Hayden has the alleged 'monkey' word along with various expletives used by the Aussie players which are 'bleeped' on TV whenever the transcripts are played. Brett's silence on the matter echoes loudly. Thus we have the following:
1. Symonds started the incident
2. Harbhajan alledgedly uses a racist word
3. Aussie players use offensive language (captured on one of the on-field mics)
Points 1,3 are fact. Point 2 is debatable ( and legally impossible to prove with evidence currently at hand ). Yet it is Harbhajan who is in the dock, and getting fined. If we were to reverse the two, who would be getting fined?
There is no supporting whatever language Harbhajan used, but equally, the same yardsticks are not being used for both sides.

[Neil]

The reason why the BCCI took such a strong stand was that they were sure Proctor got things wrong - he went on what Hayden and Clarke said, rather than on any real evidence. Another point is that many Australian players seem to be complaining about the financial power of the Indian Board - rather hypocritical to do this considering they've signed lucrative contracts with the Indian Premier League

[spidey]

There are no good guys here. Nobody in a white hat. A simple failure by the organizers to maintain decorum. Australia should never have been allowed to develope the brutish behaviour they have displayed since Steve Waugh initiated his theory of "mental disintegration". India, on the other hand, can't be allowed to develop into spoilt brats under the parenthood of the BCCI. I have fond hopes of developing a love of cricket in my son, but not if this is what he's going to be exposed to.

[James]

Consider yourself un-(mildly)-rebuked, Patrick. I didn't realise you hadn't seen the follow-up to the decision. Apologies.

I have passed through the stage of being bored with all this and just wanting the focus to get back on the game. I'm now bored with all this and wanting to take a break from all things cricket. Egregious cricket boards, boorish players, online fans mutating into trolls - time for a rest from all that stuff. See you all in a month or two.

[Vampire]

Hi Patrick, How's the beard?
Some of the comments in Australia are that it is a damaging precedent to allow a Cricket Board to use blackmail to get its own way, but the precedent was set at the Oval by Pakistan, which just goes to show what happens if you give in to tantrums!! Oh well the ICC has worked out the formula for dealing with these incidents (get rid of the umpire and find the player not very guilty at the code of conduct hearing, not necessarily in that order) so we can all sleep soundly in the knowledge that the future of cricket is in safe hands.

[balramkv]

Are we making a Big deal out of this?
There was was some decent cricket played out there and that is being overshadowed by this nonsense.
for the average australian cricketer,sledging,using words such as B******,M****** F****** etc are de rigeur and probably constitute no intended personal offence but for an indian, are very personal.
When confronted with such abuse the Indian Cricketer who is deeply hurt(& effing angry) wants to retaliate and abuse the australian and make him hurt too.

When he notices that reciprocity in kind does not have the desired impact,he chooses the one word which he thinks does.It's more of a Tit for Tat really and i think this should be left on the ground where it belongs.

In conclusion,Mind games have always been played in sport and sport is the poorer for the lack of them.Chalk them up to 'Culture' but isn't this part of the glorious game of cricket?

P.S:Would Ricky Ponting have defused the situation earlier if it was someone other than HS who has presumably made RP his 'Bunny'.

[Raj]

Its really unfortunate that Australians have been making similar mistakes in the recent past. Their previous government falsely accused an Indian doctor and was humiliated. Now the Australian players falsely accused an Indian player and could not stand the trial in their own country. Come on Aussies wake up - Imperial or colonial rule has long ended.

[Warrior]

I look forward to reading the decree from the BCCI...I mean the ICC...that Australia is only allowed to name two players per team that average over 50 and that all Australian bowlers must bowl with their non-preferred hand all in the interests of cricket to keep those less competitive teams competitive. India have been a disgrace this summer and it will be nice to see them go home...without a meaningful victory to their name!

[Argus Tuft]

The real reason the charges were dropped is so that the indian public dont go out into the streets to burn colour photo copies of the Australian cricket team, thus averting a global climate issue.

[sk]

Both these guys Harbhajan & Symonds should be suspended for some time, and be given coaching to respect your opponent, and all the cricket boards should establish a code of conduct for their players which should stop all the on field chatter.

[Samantha]

It seems that people conveniently see this as a single isolated incident between 2 players in Sydney. It wasn't. Roy has been subjected to sustained racist abuse, starting with crowds in India, Indian players in India, the BCCI refusal to take action and culminating in the events in Sydney and his treatment since then. Roy tried to deal with it on a personal level even in the midst of extreme abuse he suffered in India. But Harbhajan broke his word and the cricketing world has backed Harbhajan up. For the past few weeks Roy has been silenced and powerless and now he's been forced to do a deal to appease India. He has had no resolution of his very real and genuine distress at being racially abused. And there has been no support from anywhere (other than his team mates) for the position that racial abuse of a black Australian player is unacceptable. In effect, it's now open season on racially abusing Roy and he should just lump it or leave. It's all very well to say, get on with the cricket, but where does all this leave Roy? Or any other black guy who thought he might play for Australia for that matter.

[Neeraj]

Ah, all this 'BCCI wielding its financial power' rubbish is making me ill.
Apparently a lot of of readers here (all Englishmen judging by the names) cannot comprehend the simple notion of 'innocent until proven guilty'.
The BCCI was perfectly correct to fly home if Harbhajan was convicted with no evidence other than one fielder's word against the batsman's. If that is 'justice', then bye bye BCCI cash. Cricket Australia can perhaps hang more of their players out to dry in order to get what is small change for the BCCI.

[LR]

It's ironic that the BCCI fought this case in order to preserve the "reputation of India". With their blatant contempt for the tribunal, the match referee, the umpire and the opposition players, they have shown themselves for what they are : Liars without shame.

[Patrick Kidd]

Excellent posts everyone. Always the case when you try to be balanced that both sides think you are biased against them... As was probably obvious, I put this up when the news broke this morning and before the transcripts were released or much extra info was apparent.

Anyway, I've been away from London all day and just got back after an evening of drinking in Cambridge so I've not caught up with the news. I'll make that my morning task.

Continue to post away through the night. I'm going to hold further comment until Justice Hansen makes his comments at 5pm Adelaide time (or about breakfast tomorrow for me).

I'll just add one early thought: I'm bored of all this, it has overshadowed two brilliant Test matches and regardless of the judgment it does not get away from the fact that Harbhajan is a bit of a dick and that Ponting is an unlikeable bully. Feel free to interpret only one part of that as a slight on your country and ignore the other part. I'd rather cricket was played by the likes of Kumble and Gilchrist any day.

[James]

Nice try, Patrick, but you're rather studiously keeping your eyes away from some of the evidence. Part of what's come out post-decision is the unsurprising revelation that the lesser charge was a negotiated outcome between the BCCI and the ACB (with various Australian players alleging they were heavied by the ACB into lowering the charge, and with the Indians ostentatiously - contemptibly - preparing to go home if they didn't get the verdict they wanted). Pretending the judge acted as an autonomous third party hearing the *original* charge is no doubt a pragmatic way to move on, but it hardly justifies your call for the Australians to accept that they were mistaken in their claim.

Since many seem to keep score of positive or negative mentions of either side in any comment by anyone, let me even my keel by saying that the stump transcript did not portray the Australians in a good light at all. The sanctimonious 'oo you're in for it now' stuff from Ponting and Hayden was nauseating.

[Pratik Ray]

Yes indeed it's time to move on. However, a question remains to be answered by those who talk of "BCCI's financial clout" dominating the proceedings. The question is simple. How could Mike Procter be "convinced beyond reasonable doubt" and yet not state the reasons that convinced him?

[Aj]

Pretty astute observations. Except for #3. It may be because you did not have the time to fully develop your thoughts on this blog, but why is it that the 2 examples of misbehavior attributed to both teams only put Indian players forward? Is that a balanced opinion?

[TheEnticer]

Excellent, neutral and insightful piece. I doubt anybody will read it though. In this age if you dont pander to any one side ("Cricket's day of shame" v "Hail Great victory to the new champions of cricket"), I doubt it will be taken seriously.

Great job in boiling down the essentials in four points.

[Craig]

Only somebody 10,000 miles away could write this rubbish. It was plain for all to see that the BCCI, the ICC and Cricket Australia conspired to have the charge downgraded from using racial insults to using abusive language, for their own reasons (including, from the point of view of Cricket Australia, avoiding a lawsuit for having the tour cancelled).

If Harbhajan was innocent, why did the BCCI go to such extraordinary lengths to ensure that he was "acquitted" of the "charge" - to wit, calling together the ODI squad from Melbourne to Adelaide, thus disrupting their preparations, chartering a plane to fly the squad out of the country, etc.?

Why did Cricket Australia's executives work so feverishly behind the scenes to convince the Australian players to drop the accusation that Harbhajan had racially insulted Symonds?

[Indian Cricket Fan]

ICC is run by a bunch of jokers.
And majority of them are racists.

How else in the world can you explain Mike Proctor's one-sided decision earlier. He wrote in his judgement that he was convinced beyond doubt that harbhajan has resorted to racial abuse.
Then how come it was not proven now. What did Proctor see that Hansen didn't?
It just proves the Proctor believed the Australians and ignore Indians - including Kumble and Sachin. That stinks of racism in itself.
And this is not the first time a players from the sub-continent has been blamed while the 'others' got away.
Aussies mainly have for long abused opponents without any punishment - heck they are not even called for a hearing.
Ponting, Clarke and Symonds are primary candidates.
What is interesting is, this incident started with Bhajji and Brett Lee. But there is absolutely no statement what so ever from Brett Lee so far?
Why?
And if Symonds accepted to have started it, then how come he was not charged with anything.
Whether Bhajji said something racial or not, common sense tells us that Symonds is not innocent in this whole sorry episode.
And lastly, forget this episode for a moment, the Aussies deserve the least to be heard when they complain about on-field incidents.
They have history of starting it. Remember what Mcgrath said to Sarwan?
Remember Slater abusing Dravid in the Bombay test?
Ponting shows dissent every single time he is given out?
Symonds stares and acts as if he has been robbed whenever his appeal is turned down?

When they can get away with the choicest of abuses on the field, what gives them the right to define what is acceptable and what it not?

And when wives, mothers and sisters are not spared when they abuse opponents on the field, why is race the only seriously offensive subject? For me (and for any cultured individual) any kind of abuse is offensive. Then why the hell don't the aussie hypocrites continue to do it while terming anything against race as offensive.

I say well done Bhajji.
Well done BCCI - even if you had to twist arms - to have pressurised ICC in getting it 'your' way. It is nothing new. The 'other' players have gotten it their way since a long time now.

The aussies got exactly what they deserved for sledging and worse... for having glamorized it.

[Jamie Dowling]

Judge Hansen's comments thus far have said the racism charge is "not proven". I view that as saying there wasn't any evidence to prove the allegation but neither was there any evidence to disprove the allegation. Harbhajan is not exonerated by a "not proven" verdict. Were the verdict "not guilty" then Harbhajan would be cleared in my view. Naturally the BCCI would see it differently. Of course we will see (I hope) Judge Hansen's considered views on Wednesday.

I agree with points 1 and 2 but this isn't the first time the BCCI has reacted like a stroppy rock guitarist and threatened to pull out: South Africa in 2001 comes to mind.

Point 3 is also true. It would be nice if the ICC actually does something positive about on field conduct, like telling the players to shut up and get on with the game.

There must be a huge question mark over the future of Mike Procter as a match referee. This is not the first time he has been a major factor in a very unpleasant situation in test matches. Procter now must be damaged goods at least.

[Longmemory]

Justice Hansen ruled on the basis of a strict interpretation of the law: If no umpire, or stump microphone, or television camera, or fellow Indian player, heard Harbhajan say "monkey", then, legally, he did not say the word. While the Australians can kick and scream all they want, turn the clock back to the first day of the Sydney Test. Symonds snicks a ball while Australia are in deep trouble. He knows he snicked it (he admitted so at the press conference at day's end) and Dhoni caught it. He was not out because the umpire did not hear it: in other words, if the authorities do not hear it, it didn't happen. Symonds and the Australians are being taught a lesson that its always dangerous to equate what is legal with what is ethical. It may profit you sometimes, but it comes back to haunt you just as often. This nonsense that Australia has purveyed all these years - that they play "hard but fair" - is no longer acceptable. If you want others to believe you, stop the sledging, the not-walking, the mental disintegration, and all that other crap you routinely dish out to the rest of the world. If sledging is designed to get under a batter's skin and throw him off his game, Harbhajan possibly found a word that did so to Symonds. I hate Harbhajan for it, but lets be clear: the Aussies are only being paid back in their own kind. If you want to be treated with respect and fairness, do the same unto others.

[kovaipurush]

Mr. Patrick Kidd is still a kid in legal knowledge. If he know some thing about Court and cases, these comments would not emerge.

It is a legal battle and Harbhajan has been cleared because he had strength in his case and Symonds got a weak case. Thats all.

India has been magnanimous, matured and cultured in dropping charges against Hogg. But Aussies were mean, crude and barbaric.

Finally reasonable justice has been done to Team India. Andrew Symonds started with everything and he has to consider himself completely lucky to go scot free. He has to be banned for life time from playing any level of Cricket, if even once, just once again start the trouble.

[Tim]

This is an absolute disgrace. The ICC is a pointless organisation that just bows to the financial power that the BCCI have. Appoint the BCCI as the governing body of world cricket and then they can just make all the rules to suit them.

[Mohan Malhotra]

Cricket is truly a genlteman's sport and should be palyed in similar fashion. Sledging and abusive behaviour should never be part of cricket. Some time I wonder if it's the money in the game which spoils the players attitude towards a friendly sport.It's either cricket or NOT Cricket!

[Abraham Thomas]

Not that India will necessarily be a disastrous leader-by-proxy. It remains in the BCCI's best interests to keep the game healthy and happy globally, and therefore, the BCCI will have a responsibility to ensure the game remains viable at all levels among member nations.

But in matters directly involving the Indians, don't expect an impartial outcome. Both the BCCI and the ICC have shown their hand in that regard during the past month.

The King is dead. Long live the King

[ashish pandey]

Though Harbhajan Singh has been acquitted, its quite clear that behavior of this particular player and Indian team has been very unruly and offensive. I think we can track all this from Aussies tour to India last year, when Shreesanth started making nonsense noise, and at that time too, Symonds was the target.

[Liz]

Harbhajan is a racist no matter what this kangaroo court said.

India is the most racist society in the world.

[Todd]

Wait till India later this year.

Symonds will cop it in spades.

Indai has now been given the green light by the ICC to be out of control.

[Nic]

Transcript of stump microphone feed was damning evidence against Harbijhan. Given that Ponting and Tendulkar jointly petitioned Hansen to downgrade the charge in spite of this, it's obvious that the parties had agreed to move on.

[Arthur]

With the financial clout and the open threat of a boycott the Indian Board can buy justice!!!!

[Joe]

As an Australian I completely agree with you. This nationalistic rubbish from both sides is tiring and pretty pointless. Get on with the game. You are both as bad as each other. Congrats to Gilly on a fine career also.

[kap]

Your points are utter tosh. Why should the Indians stop complaining? The decision of the appeal clearly vindicates the accusations against Proctor and the Aussie team's agenda? The original decision and subsequent successful appeal endorses the view of many of the sub continent of the existence of blatant insitutional racism within the ICC. Clearly Harbhajan was found guilty with very little evidence. The only reason the Indians won't pursue the matter is if a deal was done behind closed doors. If so, the rest of the world will believe that the BBCI threats worked. The whole thing stinks. The compromise (if it is that) leaves both parties with a sense of grieviance and has basically hung Mike "I'm from South Africa I know what racism is" Proctor out to dry.

[Robert Parsons]

Money talks. Justice walks. Racism still stalks the cricket field.