Harbhajan was lucky, says judge -BBC

Harbhajan was lucky, says judge

Hansen said he was not influenced by external pressure

The judge who cleared India's Harbhajan Singh of racial abusing Australia's Andrew Symonds says human error saved the player from a bigger punishment.

Harbhajan was fined for a lesser charge of verbal abuse but John Hansen said he could have imposed a different penalty had he been aware of his past record.

In 2001 Harbhajan was fined and banned for attempting to intimidate umpires.

"He can feel himself fortunate that he reaped the benefit of these database and human errors," he said.

Hansen revealed Harbhajan could have received a one-match ban had he known about the event, which occurred in a series against South Africa.

He said he had considered reopening the sentencing process when he was belatedly made aware of the matter, but could not.

"If I had been aware of the serious transgression in November 2001 I would have required more extensive submissions as to the offense in mitigation which could have led to a different penalty," said Hansen.

"Overnight I have given earnest consideration to the Code of Conduct to see if it empowers me to reopen the sentencing process. Regrettably I have concluded that I cannot do so and the penalty imposed by me must stand.

"At the end of the day Mr. Singh can feel himself fortunate that he has reaped the benefit of these database and human errors."

Earlier this month, the India spinner had been found guilty of calling Symonds, Australia's only mixed-race player, a "monkey" during the second Test in Sydney this month.

The charge was downgraded and at the appeal hearing Harbhajan pleaded admitted to using abusive language and was fined half his match fee and is free to play.

Hansen insisted the prospect of India possibly abandoning the tour of Australia if the ruling went against their player did not influence him.

"I have not been persuaded to the necessary level required that the words were said," Hansen wrote in his judgement.

"I need to be sure and if I am left with reasonable uncertainty, then I must find in favour of Mr Singh.

"There was a direct conflict as to whether the word was used.

"There are cultural accent and language differences and it is accepted some of Mr Singh's remarks were in his own language.

"There remains a possibility of a misunderstanding in this heated situation."

Hansen also rejected the suggestion that the Board of Control for Cricket in India and Cricket Australia reached an agreement which he simply sealed with his ruling.

"It is incorrect to suggest that there was some sort of an agreement reached between Australian and Indian cricket authorities that I simply rubber-stamped," said Hansen.

"I also wish to add that while I was aware of the media furore surrounding this matter, no-one has attempted to apply direct pressure to obtain an outcome."

Singh ruled out of one-day series

Singh has been a consistent performer since arriving in Australia India fast bowler RP Singh has been ruled out of the triangular one-day series in Australia, which also involves Sri Lanka. He suffered a hamstring injury during the drawn final Test in Adelaide and is to be replaced by Munaf Patel. Singh, who took 13 wickets during the Test series, is expected to be out of action for three weeks. Batsman Manoj Tiwary, 22, will also be joining the Indian squad as cover for Yuvraj Singh, who has a knee problem. All-rounder Yuvraj is to see a specialist in Melbourne, but is hoping to be fit to return to action in their game against Australia in the city on 10 February. Tiwary, from Bengal, has yet to play international cricket but was a member of India's squad for their tour to Bangladesh last year. The triangular one-day series begins in Brisbane on Sunday, 3 February. Before then, however, India will face Australia in a Twenty20 international in Melbourne on Thursday.

Sehwag denies Gilchrist final win

Sehwag denies Gilchrist final win

Fourth Test, Adelaide, day five (close):
Australia 563 drew with India 526 & 269-7

Scorecard

Gilchrist is given an affectionate welcome for his final day in Tests

The fourth and final Test in Adelaide ended in a draw as Australia secured a 2-1 series victory against India.

With captain Ricky Ponting off the field because of a back problem, Adam Gilchrist fittingly captained the side for part of his final day of Test duty.

But India opener Virender Sehwag struck magnificent 151, featuring two sixes, to lead the tourists to safety after they resumed eight ahead at 45-1.

Sehwag batted until deep into the final session as India reached 269-7.

Australia were confident of giving Gilchrist a farewell victory, and their hopes increased when two of India's key batsmen departed in unusual fashion in the opening session.

Firstly Rahul Dravid was struck painfully on the finger by a lifting ball from Brett Lee in the fifth over of the morning.

The former skipper made no addition to his overnight 11 and was forced to leave the field shortly after sustaining his injury.

Then Sachin Tendulkar, in what is sadly likely to be his last Test innings in Australia, was run-out attempting a poorly judged single shortly before lunch.

Sehwag defied the tricky batting surface to score a superb century

Tendulkar got off the mark with a stylish cover drive for four but had made only 13 before pushing Mitchell Johnson into the leg-side, getting halfway down the pitch and being sent back and falling well short of his ground as the bowler's throw rattled into the stumps.

In an emotional final day of the series, Tendulkar was later awarded the Man-of-the-match award for his scintillating first innings century and praised by Cricket Australia chairman Creagh O'Connor for his achievements down under.

Sehwag, who had never previously made a second innings hundred, was the one batsman to score freely on a wicket that became increasingly slow and difficult to time the ball on.

He lofted Brad Hogg for a huge six over long-on and then drove the next ball through the covers for four.

In the ninth over after lunch, with India's lead 125, Sourav Ganguly drove a near yorker length ball from Johnson to short cover, and the third umpire confirmed that the catch was clean and not a 'bump ball.'

VVS Laxman succumbed to a short one from Lee that he gloved to Gilchrist down the leg-side, while Mahendra Dhoni drove a wide, full length delivery from the paceman that was snaffled brilliantly one-handed by Matthew Hayden in the gully.

With Dravid and RP Singh unable to bat, it was important that Sehwag remained, and he played in the responsible fashion some of his critics felt he was unable to.

India were content to consolidate and there were no boundaries in the 25 overs between lunch and tea, but Sehwag reached 150 with a fluent drive through to the cover boundary.

In the next over, however, he feathered a catch off Andrew Symonds to give Gilchrist his 379th and final catch in Test cricket.

The match continued for a further 12 overs, during which Ponting defied his troublesome back to pouch a Harbhajan Singh drive above his head at mid-off.

But with India 232 ahead there was to be no dramatic run chase that all Australians - and a great many other cricket followers around the world - were hoping would have been led by Gilchrist.

It did, however, give the opportunity for the players and the crowd to show their appreciation for a great cricketer.

BBC

Afridi equals world sixes record with Sanatha Jayasuriya's

Afridi equals world sixes record

Third one-day International, Multan: Pakistan 272-9 (50 overs) bt Zimbabwe 235-7 (50 overs) by 37 runs

Match scorecard

Afridi missed the chance to make his first ODI century in three years

Shahid Afridi equalled the world record for sixes in one-day games as Pakistan beat Zimbabwe by 37 runs to go 3-0 up in their five-match series.

Tawanda Mupariwa (4-46) left the hosts on 78-5 before Afridi smashed six sixes in his 85 off 52 balls, to match Sanath Jayasuriya's overall total of 245.

He and Misbah-ul-Haq (44) put on 116 to help Pakistan total 272-9 and the tourists were soon in trouble on 50-3.

Sean Williams hit 71 and Brendan Taylor 55 but Zimbabwe ended short on 235-7.

Williams and Taylor added 105 runs for the fourth wicket before Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik had Taylor stumped.

MOST SIXES IN ODIS 245: S Afridi (Pak, 252 games) 245: S Jayasuriya (SL, 403) 190: S Ganguly (Ind, 311) 166: S Tendulkar (Ind, 407) 153: C Cairns (NZ, 215)

And when Afridi dismissed Williams, Zimbabwe's challenge faltered, despite Elton Chigumbura's 42.

Earlier, Mupariwa returned his best ODI figures in his first match of the series to slice through the middle order.

He did his damage after tight spells from Chigumbura and Gary Brent kept the scoring down to 12 runs in eight overs at one stage.

Four wickets fell for 12 runs as Salman Butt (23) cut Chigumbura to point while Nasir Jamshed (32), who hit half-centuries in the first two games, holed out to mid-wicket off Mupariwa.

Afridi has once again proven that as a lower-order batsman he can cause havoc Top Edge

Younus Khan (10) was trapped by a slower delivery from Mupariwa, who then took a return catch off Mohammad Yousuf, while Williams brilliantly ran out Malik from square-leg.

Pakistan needed something special and Afridi supplied it to take them to 194-6 before he smacked Mupariwa straight to cover with a first ODI hundred in three years there for the taking.

Kamran Akmal (28) and Kamran Hussain (28no) chipped in with useful runs at the end to complete the turnaround for the home side.

Jayawardene defends Bandara's exclusion - CB Series in Australia

Sri Lanka all set for CB Series

Jayawardene defends Bandara's exclusion

Sa'adi Thawfeeq

	Mahela Jayawardene has said that he will not need the services of Malinga Bandara in Australia © GNNphoto

Mahela Jayawardene, the Sri Lankan captain, has stood by the selectors' decision to leave out legspinner Malinga Bandara from Sri Lanka's 15-man squad for the CB Series in Australia while selecting six fast bowlers.

The omission of Bandara, who took 14 wickets from nine matches in Sri Lanka's campaign in the 2005-06 tri-series in Australia, has become a talking point in Sri Lanka, but Jayawardene said it was difficult to accommodate him as the second spinner since the team management had decided to go in for a solitary specialist spinner in Muttiah Muralitharan.

"When you've got Murali and if he is playing in the side, with the conditions we get in Australia, there won't be any room for a second spinner. It will not give us the adequate balance in our set-up. Our combination could be three quicks and a spinner plus seven batsman or we might go with six batsmen, four quicks, including an allrounder, and a spinner. Banda will only come into play if Murali gets injured. That's why he is a standby."

While Dilhara Fernando has been ruled out of the series due to injury, Jayawardene has six other fast bowlers at his disposal, including the inexperienced right-arm seamer Ishara Amerasinghe, who has played one ODI, and the uncapped left-armer, Chanaka Welegedara. "We have three fairly experienced bowlers Vaasy [Chaminda Vaas], Lasith [Malinga] and Maha [Farveez Maharoof] in the line-up.

"The other three are fairly new. Even though Kulasekera has been around he hasn't played consistently, Welagedera is a young guy finding his way in international cricket and Ishara - we picked him for his pace and accuracy. He's bowled pretty well in the last 6-12 months in A team cricket. This probably would be a place for us to see what he can do."

Jayawardene said a positive brand of cricket would help his team in the tournament. "A lot of our batsmen do enjoy the ball coming onto the bat which is a good thing. If our bowlers can pick up wickets on a consistent basis it will give us a very good opportunity. But I feel the area we could definitely dominate would be on the field, where we can create opportunities and with our energy, a lot of pressure.

"Australia and India are much stronger in their batting than in their bowling. The important thing is we concentrate really hard, bowl in good areas and pick up wickets. If we create a lot of pressure on the field and create opportunities, then we can control the game. Foremost we have to believe in ourselves that we will get to the finals," he said.

In 2005-06, Sri Lanka qualified with Australia for the best-of-three finals and lost with a 2-1 margin.

© Cricinfo

India win ends Aussie record bid<

India win ends Aussie record bid
Third Test, Perth: India 330 & 294 bt Australia 212 & 340 by 72 runs (day four) Match scorecard RP Singh sparked scenes of unbridled jubilation by bowling Tait India denied Australia a record 17th straight victory by dismissing them for 340 to win the third Test by 72 runs. Resuming on 65-2, chasing 413, the hosts did well to only lose Ricky Ponting (45) on the fourth morning. But Mike Hussey (46), Andrew Symonds, Adam Gilchrist and Brett Lee fell to make it 243-7 at tea, while Anil Kumble had Michael Clarke (81) stumped. Mitchell Johnson (50no) shared 73 with Stuart Clark (32) but India persevered to cut their series deficit to 2-1. It ended the home side's hopes of surpassing the 16 consecutive victories achieved by Steve Waugh's Aussies between 1999-2001. The defeat was their first since the thriller at Trent Bridge against England in 2005, and their first on home soil since India beat them in Adelaide in 2003. 6 And the tourists will now fancy their chances of completing their fightback in the finale at the same South Australia venue and emulate the series draw they achieved that time. That is a remarkable prospect considering the acrimony and soul-searching which followed their controversial defeat in Sydney. Australia were hoping the Waca pitch, which had shown signs of variable bounce and turn would hold up well in the baking heat. However, their chances suffered an early blow when captain Ponting was caught by Rahul Dravid at first slip off Ishant Sharma, and the middle order fell away after lunch. Hussey was trapped lbw by RP Singh and Symonds was leg-before to skipper Kumble although replays showed he had made contact with the bat. Part-time spinner Sehwag then did further damage by bowling Gilchrist round his legs for 15 and having Lee snapped up at silly mid-off by VVS Laxman. Clark and Johnson swung the bat merrily to frustrate the Indians While Clarke was at the crease the Aussies retained an outside chance of a stunning success. But his 134-ball defiance ended when he charged down the track to leg-spinner Kumble and was a couple of yards short when Mahendra Dhoni whipped off the bails. India's celebrations were delayed by an unlikely obstacle in Johnson, who smashed Sehwag over mid-on for six and clubbed three fours in one Kumble over costing 17 runs. Johnson was bowled off a Kumble no-ball and dropped on the boundary at wide long-on by Sehwag before clubbing a massive six in the same region to bring up the fifty partnership off 47 balls. The visitors were losing their grip, on the ball and their nerves, as edges and heaves dropped agonisingly short of fielders. Singh was handed the second new ball at the first opportunity and Clark, who was fed a steady diet of long-hops, promptly pulled him for another maximum to bring the target down to 100. The tail-enders' confidence was soaring but Pathan found Clark's edge to have him caught behind. Johnson, who was dropped by Dravid at first slip off Singh, deservedly reached his maiden Test fifty off 80 balls but Singh clean bowled Shaun Tait to seal a momentous Indian triumph. Australia have been fined for their slow over-rate at the Waca. Skipper Ricky Ponting was docked 20% of his match fee, while the rest of this team were fined 10%.		LATEST FROM: Test Match Special Blog England shake up selectors Ask Bearders # 162 Players are the problem - not umpires Updated: 18 Jan, 14:23 GMT SEE ALSO Kumble salutes 'brilliant' India 19 Jan 08 | Cricket Australia v India photos 19 Jan 08 | Cricket India dent Australia record hopes 18 Jan 08 | Cricket India on top as Aussies struggle 17 Jan 08 | Cricket Kumble captures 600th Test wicket 17 Jan 08 | Cricket Lee thwarts India's strong start 16 Jan 08 | Cricket Test rivals scrap catch agreement 15 Jan 08 | Cricket India in Australia 2007-08 06 Jan 08 | Cricket RELATED BBC LINKS: Scorecards on mobiles Five Live cricket Cricket debate on 606 Download our cricket masks RELATED INTERNET LINKS: Cricket Australia International Cricket Council The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites

India withdraw tour quit threat

India withdraw tour quit threat

Harbhajan has been defended by his captain

India have withdrawn their threat to quit the tour of Australia if an appeal against Harbhajan Singh's ban fails.

The spinner was suspended for three games for allegedly making a racist comment to Australian Andrew Symonds in the second Test in Sydney.

Harbhajan has denied making the comment and the appeal is due to take place before the third Test on 16 January.

"There's no question of it being called off," India cricket board president Sharad Pawar was quoted as saying.

BCCI board spokesman Rajiv Shukla quoted Pawar and said: "He (Pawar) said the two boards intend to maintain good relations as there is no problem with the two."

India suspended their tour on Monday after Harbhajan was banned for three Tests following a hearing into the incident.

The tourists were outraged that Harbhajan was punished, claiming the spinner did not racially abuse Symonds and that the verdict was based on hearsay.

In a statement issued after the decision, the Board of Control for Cricket in India called the ban "totally uncalled for, unjustified and patently illegal" and said it would "take all possible steps... to get the player cleared of the obnoxious and baseless accusation".

India were also incensed by several controversial umpiring decisions, especially by Steve Bucknor, during a tempestuous second Test, which Australia won in dramatic style.

But Bucknor has been replaced by Billy Bowden for the next Test in Perth.

India captain Anil Kumble also accused Australia of gamesmanship during the second Test.

India also put in a complaint over comments made by Australian spinner Brad Hogg to Kumble and Mahendra Dhoni as the two nations became embroiled in an unsavoury row.

But there seems to be an uneasy peace between the two camps at present ahead of the start of the third Test.

Australia-India Cricket Raw - Kumble reveals Harbhajan row plea

Kumble reveals Harbhajan row plea

Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh during the Sydney Test

India's Anil Kumble asked Australia captain Ricky Ponting not to report Harbhajan Singh for allegedly making a racist comment to Andrew Symonds.

Harbhajan was banned for three matches after being found guilty of calling Symonds a "monkey" in the second Test.

Skipper Kumble said: "When that incident happened I did make a request to Ricky that it should be handled, if it can be sorted out, whatever.

"His response was that it had already been reported."

South Africa batsman Boeta Dippenaar told BBC Sport Kumble's approach was the right way of dealing with the matter.

"If there was an issue the players should have gone to each other and said that was wrong and if there wasn't any conclusion it should then have been followed through the proper steps," he said.

"It's too easy to say this guy said this so I'm going to report him to the match referee."

The entire team is together on this and has really backed him Kumble on Harbhajan

But former Australia batsman Justin Langer believes what Ponting did was correct.

He told BBC Radio Five Live: "If there was racial discrimination - as there was deemed to be because Harbhajan Singh was given a three-Test ban - that cannot be tolerated."

India suspended their tour on Monday following the Harbhajan hearing but agreed to continue on Tuesday, although they warned they might yet abandon the trip if the spinner's appeal fails.

The ICC is hoping the appeal will be heard before next week's third Test.

"There is a process in place for appeals and Harbhajan Singh has appealed," ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed told Radio Four's Today programme.

"India have signed off on the appeals process. They were there when all the discussions took place.

"We can't have one set of rules for the India team and another set for everyone else.

"We will follow the process and I hope whatever the outcome all parties will be able to say they have had a fair hearing."

The case will be heard by New Zealand High Court judge Justice John Hansen at a venue still to be determined.

Kumble said: "Having played cricket for this long, I knew such an allegation would definitely spiral into what it has now. I anticipated that it would spiral into a larger issue," Kumble added.

Ponting said he had acted on the guidance of the game's governing body, the International Cricket Council, to report any racial incidents following problems with spectators on Australia's tour of India last year.

Match referee Mike Procter said he was satisfied Harbhajan had used the word - though neither of the two umpires heard the remarks - and that "he meant it to offend on the basis of Symonds' race or ethnic origin".

Kumble insists Harbhajan did not make the remark to Symonds, the only non-white player on the Australian team and says Sachin Tendulkar, who was batting with Harbhajan at the time, has backed him up.

"We are hopeful we get the right decision," he said. "From what I gather from my two team-mates who were on the field, that remark was never made.

"People believe that a word was said, which was not said."

"The entire team is together on this and has really backed him. I am really proud of that fact and I'd like to thank the BCCI for fully backing us."

Harbhajan was accompanied at the hearing by Chauhan, assistant manager Dr MV Sridhar, captain Anil Kumble and Tendulkar.

If he was to lose the appeal he would miss the two remaining Tests in Australia, and one further match.

India reacted to Harbhajan's ban by lodging their own complaint against Australia's Brad Hogg for allegedly making an abusive comment to one of their players, and he has since been charged by the ICC.

Harbhajan is the first player punished for a racist remark since South Africa's Herschelle Gibbs was suspended for three matches in January 2007.

He was caught on a stump microphone talking about Pakistan fans.

In 2003, Australia's Darren Lehmann was suspended for five one-day matches after he was found guilty of shouting a "racially-motivated obscenity" in a match against Sri Lanka.

Australian view: 'Ricky Ponting must go'

By Andy Hooper

While Indians have reacted furiously at the ban given to Harbhajan Singh for racial abuse and the umpiring of the second Test in Sydney, Australia's media appear to be turning on their own.

Ricky Ponting should be sacked as captain for his team's conduct during the match, according to one of the country's leading cricket writers.

	Wild thing: Ponting must be sacked, according to leading cricket writer

Peter Roebuck, cricket correspondent for The Sydney Morning Herald, described the Test as "beyond comparison the ugliest performance put up by an Australian side for 20 years".

Roebuck, the English-born former Somerset batsman, wrote: "If Cricket Australia cares a fig for the tattered reputation of our national team in our national sport, it will not for a moment longer tolerate the sort of arrogant and abrasive conduct seen from the captain and his senior players over the past few days."

He continued: "Ponting has presided over a performance that dragged the game into the pits. He turned a group of professional cricketers into a pack of wild dogs."

Roebuck said Michael Clarke, whose three late wickets sealed Australia's victory, cannot be promoted to the vice-captaincy, while the incumbent Adam Gilchrist and senior opening batsman Matthew Hayden "should be thanked for their services".

Meanwhile, The Melbourne Age argued that calls for sackings were "knee-jerk" and the threat to abandon the tour "non-sensical... Apart from anything else, the all-powerful television moguls here and in India would not countenance it".

The solution, the paper said, lay with the captains. "Ultimately, it must be Ponting. In cricket, the captain leads. He must stand up again. So must Kumble."

A "case of cultural differences" was how former captain Steve Waugh, writing in The Hindu, saw the Harbhajan affair. "Much of what is happening between the teams springs from an inability to understand each other's culture. For an Indian, calling someone a monkey is not a terrible insult, and certainly not a racist one."

At the same time... "If Harbhajan used 'monkey', he was asking for trouble especially after what had happened in India [when home fans taunted Andrew Symonds]."

India to continue Australia tour

India to continue Australia tour

Harbhajan can play until the appeal against his suspension is heard

India will resume their Australian tour - but could abandon it if an appeal against Harbhajan Singh's ban fails.

The tourists called a halt after the spinner was suspended for three games for making a racist comment to Andrew Symonds in the second Test in Sydney.

Harbhajan is available until his appeal, which could take place before the third Test in Perth on 16 January.

Umpire Steve Bucknor, who angered India with his decisions in Sydney, has been replaced for that game by Billy Bowden.

Report: Umpire Bucknor dropped from Test

India will now move on to Canberra, where they play a warm-up match on Thursday ahead of the third Test.

But the furore could erupt again if match referee Mike Procter's decision to penalise Harbhajan for allegedly calling Symonds - the only non-white player in Australia's team - a "monkey" is upheld.

The matter will have to be finally resolved and the unfair allegation against an Indian player be set aside or withdrawn Indian cricket board statement

International Cricket Council chief executive Malcolm Speed said a commissioner will be appointed by Wednesday to hear the appeal.

In a statement the Board of Control for Cricket in India called the ban "totally uncalled for, unjustified and patently illegal" and said it would "take all possible steps...to get the player cleared of the obnoxious and baseless accusation".

It added: "The ICC has clarified to the board that Harbhajan could play until the final disposal of the appeal.

"This is only an interim arrangement. The BCCI is of the categorical view that the matter will have to be finally resolved and the unfair allegation against an Indian player be set aside or withdrawn.

"The BCCI will review the tour and all other developments continuously."

No team has the right to object to any appointment ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed

Meanwhile, the fallout of the tempestuous Sydney Test continued with the news that Australia spinner Brad Hogg has also been charged with making an abusive remark to India captain Anil Kumble and his deputy Mahendra Dhoni.

The ICC earlier made a move which appeared to calm the situation by replacing Bucknor.

The Jamaican official came under fire for a series of controversial decisions as India lost by 122 runs to go 2-0 down in the series.

His removal represented a U-turn by the ICC, which initially said on Monday that the Jamaican would be retained even though the Indians had made a written complaint over his "incompetence".

But Speed said the ICC had not acted on India's insistence.

"It is accepted that Steve, and his on-field colleague Mark Benson, did not have good games by their very high standards," he admitted.

"We feel that given the added pressure and attention Steve's presence would have at the third Test, it is better for the match and for Steve himself if he does not take part.

"It is important to stress that Steve has not been replaced due to any representations made by any team or individuals.

"The ICC remains the sole body responsible for the appointment of umpires and no team has the right to object to any appointment."

There's a feeling that Ricky Ponting's team has just gone too far in the aggressive way in which they play BBC News Sydney correspondent Nick Bryant

Bucknor, 61, is the most experienced umpire in international cricket history, having stood in a record 120 Tests, and five World Cup finals.

Although there were decisions that went against Australia in Sydney, the Jamaican was guilty of two major errors against India that went on to have a major impact on the course of the match.

On the first day Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds was incorrectly given not out on 30 before going on to making an unbeaten 162.

And on the last day, India's Rahul Dravid was wrongly given out when he was battling to save the game.

The ICC also announced that chief referee Ranjan Madugalle has been appointed to act as a mediator in the row between Australia captain Ricky Ponting and Anil Kumble.

After the Sydney defeat, an angry Kumble claimed that "only one team was playing within the spirit of the game".

And Speed said: "We are bringing Ranjan in as a facilitator in an effort to prevent any ill-feeling that may have been present at the Sydney Test from rolling over to Perth."

The actions of the Australian team in Sydney have led to fierce criticism back home, with Ponting's role in the game coming under intense scrutiny.

The Sydney Morning Herald has called for Ponting to be dismissed, saying that Cricket Australia should not tolerate the "arrogant and abrasive conduct seen from the captain".

And an online poll in Australian newspaper the Daily Telegraph 79% of respondents said the team did not play in the true spirit of the game while 83% said Ponting was not a good ambassador for the game.

BBC News Sydney correspondent Nick Bryant said: "The Aussies love winning but they like winning well, and there's a feeling after 16 straight Test victories that Ricky Ponting's team has just gone too far in the aggressive way in which they play."

Steve Bucknor was a controversial figure in the Sydney Test

But Ponting has been defended by batsman Mike Hussey, who told the Daily Telegraph that the skipper "has got the full support of everyone in our team".

"I think he is the best captain I have played under," added Hussey. "We go out to play the game as hard as we can but also as fairly as we can. Ricky is very big on that."

Ponting has defended his decision to report Harbhajan during the second Test.

He told The Australian: "Over the past two years match referees have made it clear at the start of every series that it is the captain's responsibility to immediately report any form of racism from either the crowd or on the field.

"When I heard what had taken place with Andrew, I immediately informed the umpires and then left the field at the end of the over to inform our team manager, which is what we are instructed to do.

"Making this report is not something I wanted to do but something I had to do. I had nothing to gain personally from taking this action. I was doing the right thing by the game."

The real challenge for Arjuna

The real challenge

For a moment I forgot as to where I was. I thought that I was at the Sunday ‘Pola’ doing my weekly marketing. They were all there -- some with no hidden agendas and some writhing in anticipation with their empty bags waiting for the arrival of the new cricket chief in Sri Lanka. However if any one who was there was looking for a cheap buy, he was down the wrong alley.

There came a very strong statement by the new SLC Interim Committee Chairman Arjuna Ranatunga on Wednesday when he assumed duties. He said “I have come here with clean hands and intend remaining that way. One of my first acts will be to appoint an independent auditor to go into the accounts. I have not come here to prepare myself for an election. I am here to develop the game. So I will not tolerate rogues under my administration”. A very strong statement indeed.

For years on end this had been the bane of Sri Lanka cricket. Petty politics ruling the roost and the incumbent cricket chiefs bending over their backs to please rogue elements just to get that ‘vote’ to keep them in power. We all know of a certain cricketer who started his life as a normal employee of a government institution, but has converted himself into a very wealthy man just by being a powerful king maker and a man involved in cricket from a southern part of the country. These are the bad elements that the game does not need. The sooner that you get rid of these elements the sooner that the game would resurrect itself to the desired levels. Cricket is full of hangers-on. They are there to see what they can take from the game and not there to see what they could contribute to the game so that the decay will not continue.

Arjuna says that he is going to have a complete audit before he launches his campaign. We feel it is high time that a thing of that nature came to being. The Murali signature scam at Asgiriya, SLC cricket material sold in the open market and the other little niggles are the little fish that will have to be netted in first. But, the net should not stop there. Then there were other reported deals and seals that have to be looked into. Then last but not least, the expenditure on ground development will also have to be looked into. There was a sum of Rs.400 million spent on the Dambulla Cricket Stadium, and then there was a Rs. 500 million spent on the revamping of the tsunami hit Galle cricket stadium. It is imperative to ascertain that these huge sums of monies were only spent towards the well-being of cricket and not individuals.

At the same time the exercise should not be a witch-hunt against any individual, but a open minded check-out just to feel that your officers have done fine and are above board. However if any one is found to be crooked appropriate action also should be taken without bias.

In short this whole exercise should be very transparent.

Turning inwards and revisiting the schools arena is very commendable. However the problem may be more complex than what you see on the surface. In the good old days a school played a few matches (3-4) against what was termed as lesser opponents in the third term and that was only a team building process. This exercise was to ascertain as to who would be in the final composition for the first term matches. In the first term a school played a maximum of 8-10 matches against their traditional rivals which was always of equal strength. The magic of it is that at the end of the season schools produced cricketers of high calibre who were second to none in their age group in the world.

Then in the mid eighties with the Schools Cricket Association taking full control of the situation the system changed and the game was broad based. This had another advantage. Cricketers from lesser known schools started coming into the limelight and going on to claim national status.

However due to some inexplainable reason, the standard of school cricket began to deteriorate. Now a school plays around 18-20 matches a season which is first a huge monetary burden on the school. Now some of the traditional matches are even played in the third term. School cricket has totally lost its direction and the end result has been quantity sans quality and Sri Lanka is losing to Bangladesh on a regular basis at Junior level.

It goes without saying that the new SLC Interim Committee President is fully aware of this predicament. But, it is intriguing to see how remedial measures would be brought in.

On the one hand we need to broad base the game and harness outstation talent to the maximum. On the other we must produce a school cricket system that churns out quality cricketers who would come and challenge the status quo.

We do not think any patch-up system would bring in the desired results. Some radical new thinking has to be infused into the system. It has to be a radical but practical system that would revive this dying giant.

Nevertheless with some of the best cricketing brains expected to put their might behind Arjuna’s effort, there may not be another forum who could accomplish this task too.

Once again a little piece of advice from the media –“The world is watching you”.

*********** The Sunday times****

New cricket board boss, Arjuna Ranatunga ...MORE

Arjuna's audit should show something

New cricket board boss, Arjuna Ranatunga’s order for a full audit of Sri Lanka Cricket for the last two years comes at a time when it has been revealed that there is a Rs. 320 million loss for the financial year of 2006 and an estimated loss of Rs. 420 million in the financial year 2007. However, the net earnings of the cricket board have been Rs 1.7 billion during this period. How is it that a massive loss has been incurred, at a time when there is such a large income for Sri Lanka Cricket?
It is revealed that the audit conducted by auditors Someshwaran Jayawickreme was not approved by the Auditor General. Meanwhile, the financial report of Sri Lanka Cricket for the year 2006 should be tabled and approved by the members at the Annual General Meeting on or before March 31, 2007. This legal obligation has been observed in the breach by the Interim Board and members are yet to receive copies of the financial report. There are more questions than answers about the Cricket Board finances at this stage.

Ranatunga invites past captains to join CC

Ranjan Paranavithana

With the newly appointed Chairman of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) Interim Committee, Arjuna Ranatunga insisting that cricket should be run by cricketers, the SLC has invited former national skippers to join hands with them to streamline cricket development in the country.
Ranatunga, after assuming office, highlighted the importance of restructuring domestic and junior cricket.
Ranatunga, a cricketer turned politician, who was elevated to the hot seat by country’s President on the New Year’s Eve last week, said that he would invite all former skippers in the country to join hands to restore the dropping standard of the game.
He said that the Cricket Committee should consist of former national skippers and they should be given the freedom to decide on matters relating to cricket development.
LAKBIMAnEWS learns that letters have already been posted to all former captains: Michael Tissera, Aravinda de Silva, Roshan Mahanama and Hashan Tilekeratne with the exception of Dulip Mendis, Anura Tennakoon and Bandula Warnapura who are currently employees of the SLC, requesting their support.
The outspoken former Sri Lanka captain earlier resigned from the high profile cricket committee which he headed two years back making a public attack on Jayanthada Dharmadasa-led interim committee.
Ranatunga joined by Sidath Wettimuny, one of Sri Lanka’s most respected former players and administrators, resigned from the cricket committee, in protest, claiming that his six months in charge had been a ‘waste of time’ because Dharmadasa’s committee routinely ignored the recommendations of the cricket committee.
Wettimuny is now a member of the interim committee.

Australia beat India in thriller

Australia beat India in thriller

Second Test, Sydney (day five):
Australia 463 & 401-7d beat India 532 & 210 by 122 runs

Match scorecard

Andrew Symonds celebrates the controversial wicket of Dravid

Michael Clarke took three wickets in the penultimate over as Australia beat India by 122 runs to equal their world record of 16 Test victories in a row.

India, led by captain Anil Kumble, looked to have done enough for a draw, before part-time spinner Clarke ripped through the tail in his second over.

Kumble was stranded on 45 off 111 balls as Australia bowled India out for 210 in Sydney to take a 2-0 series lead.

The run of wins matches the 1999-2001 streak under Steve Waugh's captaincy.

Just as importantly, the Aussies somehow did enough to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with two Tests remaining in the series.

The day began with them extending their lead and, with the showers staying away, Ricky Ponting declared slightly later than most observers had predicted, after Michael Hussey had hit a majestic 145.

Ponting finally pulled the plug on his team's second innings shortly before lunch with the total on 401-7.

India needed 333 to win, which was never on the cards, but Wasim Jaffer gave Australia an early fillip when he fell to Brett Lee in the first over.

The opener pushed forward uncertainly to a ball just short of a good length and edged to Clarke at third slip.

Soon after lunch, Stuart Clark got Australia's second wicket as he nipped a ball back into VVS Laxman's pads to win an lbw verdict.

Sachin Tendulkar was bowled by Clark off the inside edge six overs later and it was crisis time for the tourists.

The dependable duo of Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly restored some order for the visitors, staying together for more than an hour to take the Test into the final session.

Then umpire Steve Bucknor was involved in another moment of high controversy.

Michael Hussey and Michael Clarke celebrate at the SCG

Having been roundly castigated for failing to give Andrew Symonds caught behind on day one - the all-rounder went on to hit an unbeaten 162 - he awarded the Australian a tenuous appeal for a catch at the wicket which ended Dravid's innings.

If the decision looked bad enough in real time, replays showed bat and glove firmly tucked behind the batsman's pad, and several inches away from the path of the ball.

It was a vital wicket, as Dravid had seen off 103 deliveries for his 38 runs.

Three balls later, Yuvraj Singh, a shadow of his usual self so far in this series, got a genuine edge to Symonds and Australia were in the ascendancy again.

An extraordinary incident seven overs later added to India's woes, and again there was controversy as Clarke dived forward to claim a catch to end Ganguly's innings on 51.

The umpires, apparently unsighted, accepted Clarke and Ponting's word that the catch was a good one - Ponting even raising his own finger as though giving the batsman out.

Replays were inconclusive as to the catch's validity.

Ganguly had played positively, making 51 off 56 balls, but India were four wickets from defeat and there were still nearly 32 overs remaining.

Another good partnership, this time between Kumble and Mahendra Dhoni, took play into the final hour, before Symonds - having switched from medium pace to off-breaks - struck for the third time.

Gilchrist celebrates as Tendulkar is bowled by Stuart Clark

Dhoni played no shot to a sharply-spinning off-break and paid the price as he was adjudged lbw.

That left Kumble and Harbhajan Singh together, but time was running out.

With Brad Hogg unable to gain a breakthrough, Ponting's final throw of the dice was to go for a third spinner in Clarke.

Bowling his slow left-armers that had never brought him a Test wicket in Australia, he struck with the first ball of his second over, Harbhajan gloving to slip.

Australia were two wickets from victory and their tails were up again.

Only 11 deliveries remained when India's number 10, RP Singh, came to the crease.

But he could not even defend his first, which pitched in line and straightened - umpire Mark Benson giving him out lbw.

India's last batsman Ishant Sharma safely defended his first two balls but, needing to block two more to leave Kumble on strike for the final over, he edged a wider ball to Hussey at slip and Australia had won a memorable Test match.

Clarke's 11 previous Test wickets had included a spell of 6-9 in a Mumbai Test that Australia lost. But this spell of 3-5 in 11 balls proved more deadly.