Harbhajan
likely to escape ban in race row hearing
SYDNEY, Jan 5: Embroiled in a race row
with Australia’s Andrew Symonds, Harbhajan
Singh will appear before a disciplinary hearing
here tomorrow amid indications that the
controversial Indian off-spinner will escape a
ban due to lack of evidence.
Both India and
Australia are said to have listed five
representatives who will attend the hearing for
which the International Cricket Council (ICC) has
roped in an eminent british lawyer Nigel Peters
to advice match referee Mike Procter and the two
teams on procedural matters.
The hearing was
originally scheduled for today but was postponed
to Sunday on Indian team management’s
request to allow the players top focus on the
ongoing second cricket Test.
If found guilty
Harbhajan could be banned for two to four Tests
and four to eight one-dayers. But the off-spinner
has vehemently denied saying anything racial
during the altercation.
During the
hearing, Sachin Tendulkar, who was in the middle
when the alleged racial spat broke out, is likely
to testify in favour of the 27-year-old bowler.
Indians are also
likely to be represented by skipper Anil Kumble,
manager Chetan Chauhan and media manager M V
Sridhar.
The Australians,
meanwhile, are expected to be represented by
skipper Ricky Ponting accompanied by Andrew
Symonds, Brett Lee, Matthew Hayden and Michael
Clarke.
As things stood
this evening, Harbhajan was unlikely to face any
action on the charge of "racist
remarks."
Apparently, the
two umpires Mark Benson and Steve Bucknor have
confirmed that they reported the matter on the
insistence of Ponting but they themselves did not
hear anything provocative.
It would mean one
man’s word against the other and for want of
evidence, Harbhajan is unlikely to be slapped
with a ban.
The charge was
laid by Benson and Bucknor after yesterday’s
play following a complaint from Ponting.
The complaint was
made by Ponting after the 116th over of
India’s first innings, prior to which
Harbhajan is alleged to have directed a racist
comment at Symonds.
The alleged
offence falls under 3.3 of the ICC code of
conduct which refers to players or team officials
"using language or gestures that offends,
insults, humiliates, intimidates, threatens,
disparages or vilifies another person on the
basis of that person’s race, religion,
gender, colour, descent, or national or ethic
origin". (PTI)
Tendulkar
likely to testify for Harbhajan in hearing
SYDNEY, Jan 5: Sachin Tendulkar, who was
in the middle when the alleged racial spat
between Harbhajan Singh and Andrew symonds broke
out, is likely to testify in favour of the Indian
off-spinner during the hearing scheduled with the
ICC match referee here tomorrow.
Indians will be
well-represented with skipper Anil Kumble,
manager Chetan Chauhan and media manager M V
Sridhar also likely to accompany Harbhajan.
The Australians,
meanwhile, are likely to be represented by
skipper Ricky Ponting accompanied by Andrew
Symonds and Brett Lee among others.
As things stood
this evening, Harbhajan Singh was unlikely to
face any action on the charge of "racist
remarks."
Apparently, the
two umpires Mark Benson and Steve Bucknor have
confirmed that they reported the matter on the
insistence of Ponting and that they themselves
did not hear anything provocative.
It would mean one
man’s word against the other and for want of
evidence, Harbhajan is unlikely to cop a fine or
punishment.
However, it
remains to be seen whether anything offensive was
recorded by the stump microphone, which will now
become an instrument in bringing out the truth.
Former Indian
skippers Ravi Shastri and Sunil Gavaskar,
meanwhile, used strong words against the racial
abuse charge against Harbhajan in their reactions
on television.
Gavaskar believed
that Australian skipper Ricky Ponting should have
never raked up the issue as Harbhajan’s
alleged remarks had not been heard by a third
person.
"It’s
one man’s word against the other and
apparently can’t be proved," commented
Gavaskar, warning that it would open a
pandora’s box for the Australians.
"Teams from
around the word could accuse Australia of
something similar everytime they step on the to
the field so such issues are best left
un-pressed," Gavaskar said on television.
"Whatever
remains on the field must remain on the field is
an old Australian saying," said Gavaskar.
Shastri opined
that the issue "had been blown out of
proportions."
"These things
happen on a cricket field. But you can’t
make everything into an issue," remarked
Shastri. (PTI)
Lindsay
Davenport wins ASB Classic
AUCKLAND, Jan 5: Lindsay Davenport won her
third title from four tournaments since her
comeback to tour play when she beat France’s
Aravane Rezai 6-2 6-2 in the final of the USD
145,000 ASB Classic today.
The former
top-ranked Davenport improved her record to 18-1
in singles since her return to the tour. She gave
birth last June to her first child, son Jagger.
Jagger Jonathan
leach, aged six months, was courtside today for
his mother’s victory, attended by his nanny,
but seemed nonplussed by the occasion and cried
volubly when first introduced to the crowd.
He was quickly
calmed by Davenport and took an eager interest in
proceedings, including the presentation of the
USD 22,000 winner’s cheque.
The win followed
Davenport’s tournament victories in Bali -
achieved after a 51-week absence from the tour -
and Quebec City and her semi-final appearance in
Beijing. The Quebec title was her 53rd, tying her
at eighth place with Monica Seles on the all-time
list of female title-winners. She now holds that
place outright.
Davenport was
playing in Auckland for the first time and will
play no other tournaments before the first Grand
Slam of the season, the Australian Open, starts
on January 14. She will be bidding to win that
title for the second time.
Davenport, No 234
on world rankings entering the Bali tournament,
became the fourth lowest-ranked player in WTA
tour history to win a singles title.
The right-hander,
who was last ranked No 1 in January 2006,
re-entered the top-100 in November and was
unseeded at Auckland on her entry ranking of 73.
Rezai, 20, is ranked No 90, off a best ranking of
40 in January last year. (AGENCIES)
Zimbabwe
tour of Pakistan on as scheduled
KARACHI, Jan 5: Zimbabwe Cricket Union has
provided some respite to Pakistan Cricket Board
by confirming their national team would be
touring Pakistan from January 12 despite the
uncertain security situation and political unrest
in the country.
ZCU managing
director Ozias Bvute told on telephone that the
tour was on and the Zimbabwean players had no
problems about playing in Pakistan despite the
concerns raised by Australia.
Bvute also took a
clear dig at the British government which is set
to ban the Zimbabwe cricket team from touring
England in 2009 due to its strong stand against
the Robert Mugabe-led government in Zimbabwe.
"We in
Zimbabwe cricket don’t like to mix politics
with cricket. We are not into politics and we are
comfortable going to Pakistan and just playing
cricket. Our job is to fulfill our commitment
with the PCB and ICC," Bvute said.
He said Zimbabwe,
whose Test status is suspended, could not afford
to miss out on an opportunity to play against a
top team like Pakistan.
Zimbabwe is due to
play five one-day internationals in Pakistan
after they open their tour with a four-day and a
three-day game in Karachi. (PTI)
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