The show must go on

During the infamous Bodyline tour of 1932-33, Douglas Jardine knocked on the Australian dressing-room door to demand an apology for being abused. Bill Woodfull turned to his team poker-faced and asked: "Which one of you bastards called this bastard a bastard?" Had they been around, Mike Procter and other ICC match referees might have had a field day.

This is not a lament for times past that can never return, but such an anecdote does remind one of the death of common sense and humour in modern-day sport. If an outsider looked at the current tug-of-war between India and Australia, and the sanctimonious crap dished out by both sides, you'd think there had been 22 Mother Teresas out on the park. All this talk of integrity and honour between individuals who don't walk for an outside edge that sounds like the crack of doom. Precious.

Barring a few brain-deaths at the meeting in Delhi in a couple of hours, the tour should now proceed. Steve Bucknor has been stood down, and Harbhajan Singh promised a fair hearing, but the moot point is this: Where does cricket go from here?

We've already had Darrell Hair shunted out of cricket for accusing the Pakistanis of ball-tampering which they strenuously denied. Now, Bucknor has paid the price for mistakes that go back a good few years, a large proportion of them in matches featuring the Indians. Will we come to a stage where countries ask for and get only certain umpires, or will the ICC take heed and spread the net further to ensure that the best umpires in the game don't get worn out before their time?

The other man under the microscope is Procter, and again it's not without reason. The Indians are incensed that the three-match ban for Harbhajan Singh was handed down without a shred of evidence. Ricky Ponting and Adam Gilchrist admitted that they didn't hear what was said, and Sachin Tendulkar was categorical in his view that Harbhajan said nothing that alluded to Symonds having a cousin called Guy the Gorilla.

Yet, Procter chose to believe one side and not the other. And if word from the Indian camp is to be taken at face value, they were also insulted by the manner in which the proceedings were conducted. Tendulkar was so outraged that he sent a text message to Sharad Pawar, the Indian board president, asking that the tour not resume until Harbhajan was exonerated.

By filing the counter-charge against Brad Hogg, the Indians have highlighted the cultural misunderstandings that are perhaps at the root of the entire issue. For Hogg, 'bastard' may be a nothing word, but it has drastically different connotations in India, where those born out of wedlock are considered children of a lesser God.

In the same way, monkey chants that were rife in the west in the 1980s - as a Liverpool fan, I can remember bananas being lobbed towards the great John Barnes, who was of Jamaican origin - and are still prevalent in Eastern Europe are hardly a factor in India.

The fans who mocked Symonds at various venues in India were almost certainly taking shots at his appearance and not his ethnicity. Having had West Indian cricketers tell me of being called "Black Bastard" by kids in Mumbai, I know just how nasty racist abuse can get at the Wankhede. "Monkey" may be derogatory, but it's not racist in an Indian context. It can be equated to calling a corpulent player a Hippo in England or Australia.

What the series urgently needs now is for the two teams, or at least the captains, to sit around a table and iron out their differences. A little but of humility would be a start.

An Australian player phoned a friend of mine this afternoon to ask: "Why are you guys always on our case? We always win, don't we?" That attitude sums up the problem. The celebrations went on for over two minutes before any of the victors even thought of a consoling handshake  for Anil Kumble, whose valiant unbeaten 45 had gone in vain. Contrast that with Andrew Flintoff at Edgbaston, and you can see why so many are talking about the spirit of the game.

As Greg Baum wrote in another fine piece in The Age, both teams could have learnt from the game's youngest participant, Ishant Sharma, who overcame the disappointment of being denied Symonds' wicket on 30 to go and shake his hand at the end of the innings. If callow boys can be men, what excuse do the so-called titans of the game have for behaving like triumphalist or petulant boys?

Comments

[jim, sydney]

If Harbijan had been man enough to admit he made the comment, but didn't mean racist offense, maybe it could have gone away. He has dishonourably denied he said what he said, and called the other team liars. Maybe Harbijan needs to grow up and tell the truth, and have the fortitude to admit his mistake in the heat of the moment. Instead his lying, and the Indian officials support without knowing the truth, has created this mess!

[jim, sydney]

Seeing adult enraged Indian fanatics burning effigies of an umpire who has tried his best and made mistakes is revolting, upsetting, and a sad indictment of the poor values held by some Indian people. Do all of the Indians writing to these blogs also think it is vile and grossly inappropriate?

[jim, sydney]

If a player makes a clean catch, with FULL control of the ball, as Ponting had for the bat-pad catch, that the batsman is still out even if the ball later touches the ground while firmly in the player's hand. So Ponting was right to appeal, and the batsman was wrongly given not out (as the umpire missed the ball hitting the glove, but that's life, and Ponting didn't go on about it long, though he knew the batsman was out. He was rightly surprised and disappointed as he was right, just as players from either team who got wrong decisions were surprised and upset.
Ponting deserves an apology from every Indian and other person who wrongly accused him and don't understand the rules. (Ask an international umpire if you don't believe me).
NO Australian in that match claimed ANY unfair catch. The whining that has gone on about a non-issue is unbelievable!!! STOP!

[john]

This article is hard to swallow. It's amazing that Indian commentators are still trying to suggest Symonds was being diefied, not vilified, by being taunted a monkey. There's then mention of the Indian number 11 - he's the guy that didnt walk on the final day despite being caught at 2nd slip, isnt he? Hardly a role model in this new world where the author expects batsmen to walk whevever they are out (new, because that hasnt been the way cricket has been conducted internationally by any side for the last 30 years). As shown by the 2nd test in Sydney, many Indian players dont even walk after they have been given out!

[Paul]

Interesting to see that not one single post from an Indian supporter has addressed the fact that, as demonstrated by Jim's post and links to youtube, the Indian team behaves in exactly the same way regarding claimed catches, sledging batsmen, not walking and triumphalist celebration (remember the 20/20 WC final??), yet continues to claim that the Aussies cheat.
What a complete bunch of hypocrites.
I hope they get absolutely smashed in Perth and suffer the deserved opprobrium of the crowd...five days of continuous, synchronised chanting of 'bast**ds' is what they deserve.

[Yawn]

That cricket a colonial hangover is a foregone conclusion; but unfortunately, for the most part, it is also a bore.

Spare us these really lame pot-calling-the-kettle-black antics.

How very "commonwealth"...

Poor show, old man...pukka sahib off/

[Simon Dobbie]

After a few days of sitting back and taking all the abuse, I think its time for some much-needed perspective in this debate. As an Australian cricket fan, I'd also like to see the Aussies roll back the sledging a bit and hoped one of them would quickly shake hands with Kumble after his batting stand on that last day. However, all this hoo-haa about cheating and unsportsmanslike behaviour is completely devoid of rationality and reality.

All teams sledge. All teams over-appeal. And all teams have some history of claiming catches and the like. For instance, Dhoni claiming a catch against Peterson last year that bounced a good few cm in front of him. The English throwing jellybeans at Zaheer Kahn. And let's remember the whole reason that neutral umpires had to be brought in - blatant home-town decisions in the subcontinent over the 80's and early 90's.

The Indians are no angels when it comes to gamemanship either. They tried to slow down the over rate all day on that last day of the test and then Sharma walks out with two left gloves to waste time and make sure no more overs were going to be bowled. All my sympathies were with India after the dodgy decisions but that sympathy was quickly washed away by the threat to take their bat and ball and go home. That was blatant blackmailing of both the ICC and Cricket Australia which brings the game into disrepute 10 times more than some overcelebrating by the Aussies. And talking of overcelebrating, how about when Harbajhan got Ponting in the first innings and spent a couple of minutes running around like a goose followed by some tumbleturns.

Some of these rants and ravings are shameful and written with so little objectiveness it is embarrassing. And then the quotes of internet polls to try and justify stances when those internet polls were available to over 1 billion one-eyed Indian fans. Very lazy journalism and every blogger from London to Mumbai has eaten it up.

The reality is that both sides fought very strongly for a Test match that included some wonderful cricket and both sides overstepped the mark in some instances. But to lay claims of cheating at a particular team just because neutral umpires made some dodgy decisions is complete rubbish and based in subjectiveness rather than rationality.

Now thats been said, lets get back to the actual cricket!

[oscar the grouch]

Dileep: thank heavens for your reasoned blog and the emerging comments from some Indian fans that dispell the impression that alll Indians are one-eyed fanatics (which I know to be untrue from long and rewarding contact with the wonderful family of my daughter-in-law and mother of my grandson).

I have learned some amazing things in the past few days: from some Australians, that boorish and graceless behaviour - or worse, behaving like Lleyton Hewitt - is expected of winners, although the court seems to be still out over here on that one: the Aussie team has been rightfully pilloried by a great many over here for that display. I have learned from Indian posts that for an Australian crowd to set up a chant of 'fat cow' to an Indian sportswoman would be not only tolerated but encouraged, as it would be commenting on her similarity to a well-fed sacred animal.

I have learned that the fair and just response to Australian bullying tactics on the field is to respond with corporate bullying by the BCCI. I have learned that it is wildly unsportsmanlike to stand and wait for the umpire's finger to be raised, but that it is fair and reasonable to stand and refuse to go when your stumps lie shattered behind you.

But mostly I have learned that way too many cricket fans of all nations can be just as biased, intemperate, unobjective, unfair, vitriolic, sanctimonious and abusive as fans of any other sport.
Thank heavens for the commentators such as yourself and Patrick Kidd, and the few lonely voices of fairness and reason I see emerging in your blogs, that I have not yet learned enough to prevent me from ever watching the game again. I treasure my ignorance in this and from that position I will still be able to watch wonderful exponents of the game such as Tendulkar, Hussey, Clark, Lee, Symonds, Harbhajan, Muraliduran, Laxman, Gilchrist, Gayle, McMillan, Pollock, Vittori, Oram and a host of others, do their thing.

[jim, sydney]

I've been told that if a player makes a clean catch, with full control of the ball, as Ponting had for the bat-pad catch, that the batsman is still out even if the ball later touches the ground while firmly in the player's hand. So Ponting was right to appeal, and the batsman was wrongly given not out (as the umpire missed the ball hitting the glove).
Ponting deserves an apology from every Indian who wrongly accused him!!!! Oh, and what do all these Indians say about Dhoni's claim of catch against Pietersen which bounced several inches in front of him (viewable on youtube). Talk about double standards!

[jim, sydney]

Indian players are now on the high moral ground, so I expect that:
1. Indian batsmen will always walk off quickly when given out, and never wait for a decision if they know they are out.
2. Never make frivolous, pathetic appeals when they think or know that the batsman really did not nick the ball at bat-pad or behind the wicket; nor if the ball didn't definitely carry: nor appeal for LBW if the ball would not have definitely hit the stumps, and was going down leg side, or high, or was outside the stump line.
3. Always be fair, moral, just, never petulant, always accept the decision of the umpires with grace, act with perfect humility when winning or achieving wickets or milestones, and always be good losers or winners. They of course won't show disrespect to anyone, or annoyance and argue, or show anger when things don't go their way.
I'll believe all this only when I see it over many tests and trials against all opposition. Bring on the next India-Pakistan series....

[jim, sydney]

The main controversy now comes down to this. Did Harbijan make the monkey comment?
If he admits it, but says he didn't mean it as racist, then he can be let off with a warning, and we move on to Perth.
If he definitely said it but denies he did, then he is lying, and should be sent home, and does not deserve support from his team or administration.
If he didn't say it, and the Australian players heard wrong, and mistakenly started this whole sorry mess, then they must apologise.
There is no reason to ban Ponting any more than anyone who appeals when mistaken. If he didn't realise the ball was grounded while held in his hand, what's the crime? That is very different to whether Harbijan is knowingly lying, which would be a very serious matter, and demeaning for his team, board and country. It could be settled by him publicly announcing what he said.

[jim, sydney]

The Australian team have been very unfairly vilified, as they know how other teams, including Indian ones, have and do behave, and it isn't a one way street!
To see what sort of chap Harbijan can be, watch this effort against Kevin Pietersen. He refuses to walk, and calls "F--- you". Charming. Hogg should show this to the ICC during his hearing.
Heading: Harbhajan Singh acting like a twat vs Kevin Pietersen
http://youtube.com/watch?v=X3Ms37yt3lg&feature=related%20target=
And as for claiming a catch that wasn't how about Dhoni's effort here!
Heading: Is Dhoni a cheat?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TmryWZ5VG8
Indians in glass houses shouldn't throw balls around....
And why does a TV channel survey support Ponting, yet newspaper polls currently in Australia go against him? Because online polls are open to everyone in the world, and Indians are voting against him in the other polls. Australians support Ricky and our team!

[jim, sydney]

The silence from Kumble, the BCCI and Indian politicians concerning the outrageous, nasty, aggressive burning of effigies back in India is deafening. Do they consider this "part of the game" or "fun"? It is vile, and should be stamped out, and is worse than anything that went on during the game!

[Bill Gemmell]

Dileep, your objectivity has slipped. Racism and racist taunts are absolutely alive and well in India, and the Indian cricket team is hardly unblemished when it comes to bad sportsmanship and blatantly dishonest gamesmanship http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23027330-25837,00.html/ The Australian team, and worldwide television audiences, clearly witnessed the ugly, racist chants directed at Symonds during the recent Indian tour, and the Indian cricket authorities did virtually nothing to stop it. Now the same authorities are attempting to blackmail the ICC to in effect sanction this form of appalling behaviour. Well, I say let the Indian team go home; the world's cricketers and the cricketing public deserve a lot better than this.

[Ian]

Oh Yes, during that match Pieterson had called Harbhajan 'son of a bitch'. Harbhajan was only responding to that. Wouldn't you do the same on a cricket pitch? Or would you go crying to the match referee. May be you might do the latter. Cry babies!

[Rahul]

New Words added to dictionary after the just concluded shameful Test Match between India & Aus in Sydney :

Ponting: (n) (adj)

1. A substance or entity or even a person of unquestionable integrity 2. An

act of uncivilised behaviour. [Also, pontingness (n)]

Bucknor: (n) (adj)
1. Temporary blindness leading to missing out on the obvious.
2. To be at the wrong place at the wrong time.
3. Situations leading to grave judgmental errors.
Usage: I feel bucknored by my boss; Life often throws a bucknor at you.

Benson: (n) (adj)
1. Something that legitimises a severe bucknor.
Usage: First they bucknored me and then they bensoned it! I am toast.
Also see bucknor

Cheers

[Lion King]

There were wide spread protest and demonstration in the monkey community after an Indian cricket player has equated and called a cheat un-sportsman Australian player as monkey. All the major newspapers of the jungle carried this story with comments from experts and severely criticized the Indian player for his conduct. They also conducted on-line poll where over 90% animals have voted this act as insult to the animals. An international conference was called and a resolution was passed to convey to the Indian player that monkey has no similarity with Australians. Neither they sledge to the opponent, does not cheat during play by appealing for drop catches, nor they stay on the crease after being caught and pretend they have not edged. So the monkey community has warned the Indians not to call those Australians as Monkey in future. Otherwise, strict action will be taken under Protection of Wildlife's Honour Act.

[Shombhoo]

Worst is yet to come for Aussies. The brand value of Australian cricketers is expected to suffer dramatically in India following the acrimonious second test in Sydney, advertising experts say.

Ponting and fast bowler Brett Lee endorse leading consumer brands in India, apart from appearing in sponsored television shows, and are among other current Australian players who write syndicated newspaper columns in India. Almost all the top Australian players have signed up for the Indian board-promoted multi-million dollar Twenty20 league that kicks off in April.

"The whole country is against them following the cricket incident," Habeeb Nizamudin, growth officer of media planning agency Lodestar Universal told Reuters on Wednesday. This is definitely going to impact their brand value.
Their cricketers are feted as pop stars in a country of 1.1 billion where top-ranked Australia also have a strong fan base thanks to their brand of entertaining cricket. But they have crossed the line this time, some say.

"Australian cricket has always had attitude. But now that has become arrogance. They have damaged their own reputation, You don`t want an arrogant team supporting your brand," added Singh, joint managing director of Percept Holdings.

"As far as advertising is concerned it`s bad news for Australia," Nandu Narasimhan, creative director, Saatchi & Saatchi told the paper.

"But it could be hot news for Harbhajan. He has sort of typified what the new India is all about."

[Puneet]

Oh dear, now this forum has taken a turn for the YouTubes.

The nice thing about cricket is that it's a game watched and commented on by sensible people. Usually.

[Kombi]

I can't believe your comment that calling Symonds a monkey was "taking shots at his appearance and not his ethnicity". What do you think is the single most obvious and immediate differentiator of race?! Moreover, the racial denigration inherent in the term was made clear after the last series in India giving no-one - particularly not Harbajan who has said it to Symonds in the past and apologised - an excuse of ignorance. And this idea that monkey is not racists seems absurd when Indian fans and players coincidently only direct it at the sole black player in the australian team.

I find it very disturbing that seemingly well respected indian commentators and former players have suddenly become apologists for racism. Shameful

[neel]

guys, i have to say, in the manner of a waffling judge, there's a kernel of truth in what all of you say: the indians are indeed sanctimonious and not a little racist, and not above waving crude thick wads of dosh in everyone else's face; the british still can't stomach the hard fact that they are no more the legislative authority and moral centre of this beautiful stupid game; the aussies can get to be like a pack of low, mean, hungry canids (extremely well-trained ones) in their quest for prey, blah, blah.

but there was some extremely good cricket played there, the sydney crowd is visibly (and audibly) much, much more gracious about maestros from exotic lands making mincemeat of the 'best bowling attack in the world' -- contrast this with the pindrop silence that greets genuine cricketing feats from rivals at indian grounds --and hey, even ponting did refuse to claim a catch in the slips earlier in the match. (the thought of the 16th win -- his only stab at that, for sure -- going out of his grip got the better of him and the varnish cracked, methinks.)

just one more thing: andrew symonds would be considered white in india. yes. i don't know how this simple fact escapes anyone. as an indian of fairly normal levels of exposure, i can guarantee that it would be beyond most indians to decipher a mestizo/mulatto/octoroon (or whatever) element in him. or to glean a jamaican ancestry from those Rasta locks! which is not to say indians aren't capable of some real lowdown feelings on colour -- just that it's counterintuitive to think they could apply in this case -- between bhajji and andy.
neel

[Kema]

It matters not that donkey isn't racist in India, the fact is they KNOW it is racist in other cultures. neither the Aussies or the Indians are innocent.

[Ravinder Singh]

Some points;

1. I'm from Indian origin
2. I believe the Indian team were harmed by the poor umpiring decisions
3. The Indian team also played woefully at times and capitulated at the end under Australian pressure
4. I'm not enamoured by the intimidatory tactics Australia use, expecially the likes of Andrew Symonds
5. If Harbhajan said a racist comment he deserves to face punitive punishment
6. The issue on the Proctor judgement seems to have escalated as the Indians feel he had no evidence, if this is the case then Indians are right to feel aggrieved (Hair carried out action against the Pakistan team not based on evidence but on prejudical bias. If the ball had been in that condition and Australia were bowling i guarantee you he would have done nothing)
7. The BCCI is behaving in a overly boorish billigerent manner
8. The ICC have also handled the situation poorly
9. Australia are the best team in the world; Ponting, Symonds and co. are simply too good.
10. Disappointed for cricket. Burning effigies? What's that all about?

[anilkumar]

It all started with self claimed poster boy of Australia Andrew Symonds,
When Australian team arrived India for the post 20:20 series, Indians were celebrating the win and Andrew Symonds commented on celebration in an English daily interview which is why he was targeted by crowd at stadium

[Hugh Farquhar]

Football used to be a gentleman’s game, like cricket is still seen as today, and yes stats and figures are what drives both of these sports. An Australian friend of mine said in relation to the current situation: "Cricket is a numbers game. Averages, runs scored and wickets taken are the currency of players these days. VERY LITTLE is talked of Courtney Walshs on field demeanour or how Alan Border PLAYED IN THE SPIRIT OF THE GAME - all that is referred to is the their averages and for a short period of time their world records in wickets taken and runs scored." To him I would say, does the word ‘Bodyline’ ring any bells??

The Bodyline series was played in 1932-33 and yet over 60 years on there rarely goes a summer on any continent when it isn’t mentioned. And why…because like the tactics adopted by many sportsmen and teams, the Bodyline series embodies the ‘win at any cost’ mentality. It is exactly this mentality which has seen the downfall of so many sports into accusations of cheating and deceit.

This brings me back to my first point that 'football used to be a gentleman’s game'. Nowadays you merely have to watch ONE Premiership Football match to see players diving to win penalties, always sticking their hand up when the ball goes out of play (despite them clearly the last to touching the ball), surrounding the referee to protest in order to sway his decision, or rolling around for ages on the floor after a tackle waiting for a the ref to book the player who committed the challenge and then getting to his feet and playing on as if nothing happened. These latter two points are essentially what the Australians have done…they protested and whined (surrounded the ref and rolled around on the floor) until a decision was given in their favour.

Therefore I say to my Australian friend who I quoted above, if you are one of these people who get irritated when football players try to cheat by diving et al then you should be just as irritated at your own national side for acting up as badly as Ronaldo does week in, week out. If you are not one of these people that gets irritated in which the manor football is played these days then I pity you for your attitude towards sport, an attitude which will only earn you disrespect, primarily on the field of play.

If cricket does not stop pandering to the footballers mentality of ‘win at all costs’ then I am afraid cricket youngsters will go the same way as football youngsters, with cheating inbuilt into their game plan, and cricket too will join the ranks of pathetic, unwatchable sports, leaving only rugby to carry the gentleman’s mantle.

[Kara Swart]

'Monkey' is a holy word in India. Millions of Indians worship, Hanuman, the Monkey god. In any case for a non-creationist, they are our worthy ancestors. Incidentally, Delhi is overrun with monkeys because the local population does not disturb them. So being called a Monkey by an Indian could be considered an honorific ... like Sir ...

[Sam]

It amazes me that anyone can go down the 'monkey is not that racist' path, as this article did. How could anyone argue that after all the publicity the previous tour received? Singling someone out because of a racial difference is rightly seen as the lowest act. Brad Hogg deserves a warning for his comments (as HS received during the one-day tour). If the Australian crowds, having discovered ‘bastard’ is so offensive, chant it at the Indian players for three games straight, then Hogg specifically uses it a second time, then he can be similarly suspended.

[suresh]

Now if harbajan was commenting on Brett lee's butt he must charged with Sexual harassment also right?

And telling Symonds a monkey is offence to all monkeys aroung the world. Now what do the animal association have to say aboutit?

[ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ]

The whole "he said, he said" line of comments is a red herring. Not one person who has posted on a blog has any idea what the evidence was that was presented to Proctor, nor what admissions were made by Bajji or what Tendulker may have heard. It's a complete non-point being made in ignorance.

Also, as to the conduct of the players, please look at the following *cheating by Dhoni (claiming a catch he did not take, with clear evidence, unlike the Clarke cathch), *cheating and poor sportsmanship by Bajji (for not walking when bowled - pathetic and far worse than a ball going to slip and then telling Pietersen "f--- you"), *boorish behaviour by Bajji and Sreesanth (in behaving like idiots after their small victories on the field).

* = by India's own selfrighteous indignant measure

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23027330-25837,00.html

Now that Indian fans have been presented with such evidence, I look forward to their condemnation of the offenders.

[HETAL PATEL]

hahahaha The real issue is that most of the anglo saxon cricket world bemoan the fact that in the good old days whatever England and Australia said was gods law !
ie 1 bouncer per over rule to protect against nasty West INdian quicks .WEll what goes around comes around .Even the mighty ICC is pragmatic enough to do this and sacked Hair and Bucknor .As for Proctor well hes just proved that hes a white uncle Tom.

[a don]

I have to remind everyone of the positive things that happened in this game. Especially the standing ovation for Tendulkar. Everyone and I mean EVERYONE was so pleased to see his mastery on stage. it was like watching Nureyev or Pavarotti perform.

You ask where does cricket go from here? Onwards and upwards I say.

[a don]

Sanctioning Singh and Hogg is a case of two wrongs do not make it right but then again Sharma needs to know two rights are also wrong.

[Ken Webb]

If Singh did not utter the alleged words why did Kumble offer Ponting an apology in return for not proceeding?
In addition Singh has "form" having racially abused Symmonds in Mumbai during the recent Futures Cup.
Ponting did exactly the right thing.
If Ponting is the cheat claimed by some of your correspondents why did he pointedly not claim a slips catch during the first innings of the Sydney test?

[Jane]

Steve: ??
http://youtube.com/watch?v=X3Ms37yt3lg&feature=related%20target=

Posted by: Steve

[Jon]

For Greg: You assuming he called him monkey...I know it is good to be blind fan but ask your self a few questions and you will get the answer:
1. Who does the sledging most India or Australia? Anil did not report against Hogg in the good spirit of the game which was not shown by Ricky.
2. Proctor’s decision: If Harbhajan did it he should be punished but what if he did not. Proctor is acting as a judge here and should go by facts and not why what he feels.
3. Ricky statements has more wait then Sachin’s statement. Harbhajan got him 10 times so may be he is doing because of that.
4. Now if player’s aggressiveness in the field is good then why Ricky signed and agreement with Anil prior to series to have players saying in cases of catches to keep the spirit high.
5. I don’t think this match was between India and Australia it was between Ricky and Mark.

[greg]

Congratulations.

For all the difference of views, this group of bloggers in among the most reasoned lot I've read to date - though the first log perhaps doesn;t fall into that category.

For mine, I think its important we acknowlegde that
a) racism is different to normal abuse. why - who knows. Should it be - I can;t say.

But it is - becuaase we have rules specifically to stop it.

so effectively there's acceptable verbal abuse - and socially outlawed verbal abuse.

for good or bad reasons, india - along with the other icc members and affiliates - agreed to play without racist comments.

so - other matters to the side - that matter has to be addressed.

b) people complaining about australia's just being unable to take sledging are making a grave mistake.

eg. Australia didn;t cry foul to umps when the english got stuck into shane warne for eating too many pies but it was still abuse.

they've complained because a comment was made that's racist under the icc's code.

there's been no other instance to suggest a trend of the australia's wilting in the face of acceptable verbal sparring.

its the racist comments that clearly are perceived to be the issue.

c) if the indian team and h singh esp. are not using monkey in a racist fashion, why did they only call symonds a monkey? why not the others.

reasoning minds can see they are clearly trying to ruffle the guy using an insult they hope will cut through mental defences - and just happen to have violated an agreed rule of the game.

the interesting thing is the guy himself appears unworried by it.

my own interpretation is that its quite likely h singh just said it when caught on the hop by a verbal barb from an uneqxpected quarter - and lashed out with the first mental weapn that came to hand. i'd be surprised if he did it really rationally or with intent.

d) yes - the aussie's would win our hearts if they could compete with more humility. but that's about a desirable trait - there's no rule saying they should play that way. And frankly - those of us who don;t have what it takes to play international cricket would do well to reflect on what it is that entitles us to have views on this.

its as much mental attributes as physical ability that determines who becomes an elite in any field. maybe we're seeing the ugly side of character that;s required to get to the top in today's game.

e)pointing being a cheat. i've yet to see the evidence. but in sydney, as ugly a winner as we've seen for some time.

its quite possible that the mental toughness so long seen as a defining trait of Australia's recent run of skippers has now atrophied into a caricature where the captain becomes to much iron, and not enough salt.

and a final note. while H Singh nor R Ponting carried himself the way he may have wanted to, S Tendulkar was again excellent in temperament.
A very classy character he appears, one the others would do better to emulate.

[Jay]

As an Indian, till about the last tour of India by Australia, I had no idea that Symonds was black. Damn!! if he's black, I'd be pitch black.. No I'm not trying to amuse anyone here, but, the bottom line is that India lost the match. It should have done better, but that's life.

No Indian would have made such a hue and cry about it. India was thrown out of the world cup last year with much more humiliating losses.

What you really can't understand is that, if HS really called Symmo a monkey, and he felt really abused by it, he should have at the very least made a scene there, instead he walks off just as if its not an issue at all.

All this seemed like a plot, at the end of the day, Ponting goes up to the umpires and tells them, look HS called Symmo a monkey, now that's racial abuse. I want to press charges..

On top of it, Mike Procter, takes one man's word against another, ie: an aussie's word against an Indian. Now that's what I'd call racism.

[Steve]

Good post JAC! Here's a great example of Harbajan's honesty and manners....

http://youtube.com/watch?v=X3Ms37yt3lg&feature=related%20target=

[JAC]

While 'monkey' may not be deemed racist in india Harbhajan's comment should be viewed in the context of him being directly told on Australia's last tour of India that it was considered racist in the rest of the world. In this light the comment cannot be dismissed as a mere semantic slip.

I am not surprised that Indian defence of "he did not say it but if he did it was not racist" failed. If nothing was said why is the indian management raise the whole issue of it being non-racist or why did Tendulker apparetly concede that Harbhajan apologised for the comment on teh field.

Granted the Austrlaians may depart from the spirit of the game at times, however, the Indian track recird is equally as bad. One need only look at their recent tours to Sth Africa and England to see examples of the conduct contrary to the spirit of the game (i.e. ball tampering, over appealing, claiming catches that are not out, failing to walk, and refusing to accept upires decisions). In each instance the case against the Indian players were proved and no Australians in site.

As with the Sehwag incident in South Africa (refusing to accept an ICC suspension that resulted in a matcvh referee being locked out of the ground and a test stripped of first class status)the BCCI seeks to exempt itself from the rules that apply to all others.

The ICC should uphold the Harbhajan penalty for two reasons. First, it is consistent with that given to Gibbs for the same offence and second, the BCCI needs to be shown that it is not above the ICC rules.

In the meantime, India should concentrate on picking a side that can beat the Autsralians. To do so they will need more than two fast men and will have to drop Jaffer and Yuvraj as they clearly do not have the technique needed in Australian conditions.

[Peter b]

About the point regarding how the Australians behaved after taking the 10th wicket I agree.

But if you are consistent why don't you compare that to the Indian teams action after winning the T20 final.

I watched & watched but never saw them acknowledge their opponents.

I said at the time that if the Austrlain team behaved like that they would be pilloried. I am proved correct. Why no criticism about Singh's actions on getting Ponting. He didn't even have the manners to congratulate the catcher on a fine bit of work

[M Hely]

Prove Harbhajan said it?! There is sheer volume of numbers stating he did. What is next? Requesting confirmation that the photographic evidence of Indian supporters* (in India late last year) were just scratching their own armpits simultaneously and thus not making racist gestures towards Australia's Andrew Symonds! In asking the original question you are attacking the integrity of Andrew Symonds who handled the situation in India late last year so well.

This entire 'saga' makes me sick. No team, player or Board are greater than the game or the governing body.

Am I a one-eyed Australian supporter? No.
Do I agree with the antics of some of the Australian players? Absolutely not.
Do I believe Ponting is a great ambassador for Australian Cricket? No not really.
But what people forget is that a World Champion player or team does not need to be a great person. These are just additional 'bonus' attributes that World Champions may possess (Exhibit Federer & Woods). Australia won the test due to two things, they held their head in tense situations and got a good 'rub of the green' with the NEUTRAL umpires.

I believe that what the ICC (a NEUTRAL governing body) warrant in a form of reprimand, should remain final. If India do not like the decision, they should hold their chin high and place it as 'character building'. If they want to whinge and cry and threaten to go home - then go home. They or any other player, nation or body are not bigger than the game. If B. Hogg is suspended for match(es) for his behavious - so be it. At least cricket as a game will hold it's integrity. We may miss out on some fabulous future tests between two proud nations, but so be it. An unexpected bonus being that we see a potentially more competitive One Day tri-series if Australia A stepped into the void!

But as it stands the highest revenue generators in Cricket have the potential to pollute the integrity of the ICC and cricket in general. When that occurs, no body wins.

* - I placed this here as I do not believe this represents anything more than a minority of Indian cricket supporters.

[Rocket]

I think the Australians push the boundries (just like all teams) but have to say they play within the rules. The players keep re-iterating that they play hard but FAIR. They would get absolutley no pleasure from winning by cheating. So it comes down to someones interpretation of what is FAIR. If the rules need to be changed or made clearer so there are no misunderstandings, maybe that needs to be done. They simply are not breaking any laws of the game!! If they appealed too much - that can be dealt with, if they claim a catch they shouldn't have - that can be dealt with. There are processes in place. How many times has this current crop been suspended?? Brad Hogg says something wrong - IT IS BEING DEALT WITH!! Cricketers learn from their first season that umpires decisions aren't always correct. The Oz team may not like some decisions and linger at the crease or chuck the bat on reaching the dressing room, but if it is deemed too much then THAT CAN BE DEALT WITH - and is. We would not threaten to can the tour because we didn't like the umpires (or match referees) decision!

The majority of the grizzle guts comeents being written by commentators and bloggers are from people who don't seem to understand that Australia is playing within the rules of the game - and in the Australian spirit of HARD but FAIR. If it's too much for everyone to handle then lets all get a petition together to change to rules. If we were a crap team it just wouldn't be an issue.
If it's not working, then change the rules but while the rules stay as they are they should keep pushing to the limit.

[sunil mehta]

As a person of Indian origin, the thing I find most disturbing is the performance of the Indian team. Even with the bad umpiring calls (I have no doubt Bucknor is somewhat biased against India)there is no way the Indians should have lost the match. Losing 3 wickets in one over? Has anyone raked the pathetic Indian tail over this? What about the abysmal performances of Jaffer, Yuvraj and Dhoni? The whining has got to stop. It is NOT the fault of the umpires or Ponting that we lost. We have a bunch of glorified amateurs who not only lost to Bangladesh in the WC but don't have the balls to play the best team in the world. All we have to show for it is a bunch of whiners pleading "No Fair" and I'm taking my ball and going home. I am certain even Zimbabwe would have drawn the match in the last two overs in India's position.

Yes, Bhajji should not be condemned until firm proof is available. However, focus on the problem which is this team sucks and it will keep sucking as long as we provide them with excuses to fail. They are going to get the crap kicked out of them in the next two matches and I hope all Indians then demand changes from this pathetic team. Ponting may be disliked but at least he wins and yes, in the end, that's what its all about.

So we can whine all we want, we can blame Ponting and the umpires, we can even claim upset tummies in Sydney but we will never get away from the fact that we cannot play cricket at the highest level unless systemic changes are made in the country. Go whine about that.

[Cameron]

There is an incredible amount of hypocracy and sensationalism from Indian journalists and supporters in this whole issue.
There is absolutely no place for racism of any kind in cricket or any other sport in this day and age. Ignorance is no excuse in this case as there was sufficient coverage and discussion of the clearly racist actions of the crowds in India recently that all Indian players would have been accutely aware of the racist connotations of the word monkey. In fact the same player is believed to have been warned about its use during that series. The only question should be whether he said it or not. If he did he deserves a sanction. If he didn't, and this is the clear position of the Indian team, he is absolutely entitled to the due process of an appeal conducted in a rigourous and fair manner.
In the same light, if Brad Hogg is found to have directed an insult at Indian players that is highly culturally insensitive and offensive he too should be subject to sanction.
The behaviour of both teams in this test match at times bordered on the highly cynical and indeed the Australians post match on field celebrations showed an extreme lack of graciousness.
The Indians have a right to be dissapointed at the quality of the umpiring in the match that they probably deserved to draw and the ICC is highly culpable for letting Steve Bucknor continue in the game several years after his declining abilities had become apparent. But many of the other claims the Indians are making border on the rediculous. Very few batsmen in international cricket walk (probably less than five) and all fielding teams appeal vigourously for anything they consider to be half a chance, Indians included. In all of these case the umpire is and should be the ultimate arbiter and the players should accept the decisions.
In circumstances where the Indians have definately had an opportunity to take some moral high ground they risk being perceived as the true bullies of international cricket and truly disrespecting the spirit of the game by threatening to boycott the tour if they are not allowed to veto umpires and other issues do not go their way. Test cricket is a wonderful game and all test playing nations have an obligation to do everything they can to ensure the game prospers. At the moment both the indians and the Australians are failing in this responsibility.

[Matt]

Before the Indian players toured Austraila they were informed that calling Andrew Symonds a "monkey" was a racially based insult and should not be used. Harbhajan Singh then used the "monkey" insult to Symonds anyway, was found guilty of doing so in a fair hearing and should now be punished.

I continue to be amazed that people keep saying that the insult wasn't racial. How many people would call Mike Tyson or Lennox Lewis a "monkey"? No one, because they know what the insult really means and they know what the consequences would be.

[Toffael]

What everyone seems to miss here is that surely 'abuse' cannot have differing levels of acceptability? Abuse is abuse and once it’s dished out, all gloves are taken off. As every boy has learnt the hard way in the playground, never start what you can’t finish, you will ultimately look very foolish.

I cannot understand how its OK to tell a man whilst he is batting that his wife is a whore and that she had sex with all the opposition batsmen the night before (I believe variations on this theme seem to particularly popular when Australian players 'sledge') but its NOT OK to call someone a monkey.

Errrrrrr …… POT. KETTLE. BLACK?!

The cat is out of the bag for Ponting and his side. They have become so deluded by self worth, they have totally lost the plot and in doing so been truly exposed for the nasty rotten people that they are.

Ricky Ponting, Shame on you.

[Matt]

After the Indian crowds chanted "monkey" at Andrew Symonds in India, the Indian players were informed before the tour to Austalia started that the word had racial overtones when used against Symonds. Harbhajan knew this and used the insult anyway.

I'm just amazed that people can say it wasn't an insult to Symonds race. Who would call Mike Tyson or Lennox Lewis a monkey? No one, because they know what the insult means and what the consequences would be.

[Sentryman]

First prove that Harbhajan said it. Then we can discuss. Indian team should have packed bags and left before even starting this dialogue with the ICC. Anil Kumble's statement after the match should have been enough for the BCCI to call the team back - end of discussion. It is humiliating for a captain to lead a team back on field when he went on record saying that the other team is not playing the game in the right spirit.

[Steve Melville]

Another fine piece from Dileep. For a young man, Ishant Sharma certainly did show the way. I think we can all learn from the ninetenn year old.

[D.PATEL]

As an Indian I find it amazing that you have decided to single out Benson,Proctor and Doctrove.As a South Indian you obviously have no idea what a sardarji (Sikh) temper is like once provoked.Instead of acting and trying desperatly to be a 'coconut' you should perhaps focus on realities.You have not even touched on the the effigies and photos of Billy Doctrove being burnt by baying Indian mobs in India.

Do you even realise how hurtful it must be his family??

Instead of trying to censor every post criticising you,why don't you for once publish them.

[CO]

Most sensible article I have read on this topic.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23025954-601,00.html

Balanced, devoid of emotion, and in full context.

[Puneet]

Great article, Dileep. Bodyline was way before my time, so I downloaded the Bodyline special podcast from your very own Times Online. Of course, many years have passed since the Bodyline Tour, but it was interesting that the English correspondent found it so much more amusing than the Aussie. It seems that the spirit of the game is always interchangeable with a win for those so inclined.

Dileep is totally right in that no-one has come out of this looking good. Neither the teams, offials nor governing bodies. I myself am only ever surprised when cricket's governing bodies make a good decision, but that is another matter.

If we must be aware of every conceivable cultural sensitivity, Dileep is correct to point out that "bastard" is incredibly offensive to Indians to whom family unity is sacrosanct. He is equally correct to point out that to call someone a monkey in India is more akin to calling refering to them as an oaf.

None of this is to exonerate India's behaviour because they are not blameless either, but the majority of the problem is off the field rather than on.

We can't simply ignore this, but it is, as always, the disingenuous justification that Ponting puts forwards that really grates. India's reaction is not quite petulant - we must acknowledge there is real hurt here - but it is certainly politically naive and does little to help the game. Throughout this, the Indian representatives have talked out of both sides of their faces, trying to protect the tour's income while ensuring that they "put the Aussies in their place."

All the controversy aside, I had lost interest in this match before India's second innings, so cynical had Australia's approach been. This is surely a match to forget, but lessons must be learned.

India is no longer happy to sit back and be the guy who gets slapped in the face and then thanks you for it. But while India learns to toughen up, such naive reactions shouldn't be an option.

[Presh]

cultural differences or not, the situtation has got out of hand because of 2 people specifically.

1. Ricky Ponting who is nothing but a cheat. Prove me wrong.
2. Mike Proctor who probably was keen to get the thing out of the way ASAP. He seems to have fined one party. Now Hogg is being charged. But will he follow his own ruling and punish Ponting like he punished Rashid Latif with 5 match ban. He has to because that will mean he is just. If he wont, it means he is unjust. Racist....i dont think so, but unfair and unjust.