Jaffer builds base for Indians

After three days of off the field action, India's practise game against the Australian Captital Territorial XI got off to an unprecedented start with Wasim Jaffer leading the Indian charge. Jaffer, who has been in dreadful form Down Under and has fallen prey to Aussie spearhead Brett Lee four times in the two Tests played so far, stroked an unconquered 50 as India reached 111 for one at lunch.India lost one wicket in the form of Virender Sehwag (24) after the Delhi dazzler played an uncharacteristic watchful innings. Jaffer and Sehwag got India off to a solid start with the duo adding 66 runs for the first wicket. Karthik (22) and Jaffer (50) were in the middle at the stroke of lunch.India rested VVS Laxman, Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar, Anil Kumble and RP Singh while all rounder Irfan Pathan, pacers VRV Singh and Pankaj Singh were given an opportunity. MS Dhoni will be leading the Indians in the Australian capital

Ponting draws flak from Australian sporting legends

Some of Australia's legendary athletes have joined the chorus of criticism against the unsportsmanlike behaviour of Ricky Ponting's team in the Sydney Test with India.Sport Australia Hall of Fame members, John Bertrand, Herb Elliott and Rob de Castella, now plan to take the matter to Cricket Australia (CA), which they feel is damaging Australia's international reputation. Hall of Fame chairman, Bertrand, who led an Australian yacht team to America's Cup win 25 years ago, said the group would seek an urgent meeting with CA because Australia's Test team was damaging international relations with its "win at all costs" attitude."Sport is only sport. It's not war. Their desire to win at all costs is beginning to blur their moral compass," Bertrand was quoted saying by 'Sydney Morning Herald'."We will be seeking a meeting with Cricket Australia to seek to get the Australian team to readjust their behaviour so that they do show respect for their opponents," he said.
Bertrand's views were echoed by world champion marathon runner Castella and Olympic gold medallist Herb Elliott, regarded as one of the world's greatest middle distance runners ever."We don't like what we are seeing and hearing at the moment," Elliot said.Australian Football League hero Ron Barassi agreed with the Hall of Famers and said, "It concerns me that the Australians are regularly being referred to as being arrogant and because it is mentioned so often, you begin to wonder."Legendary Australian batsman Neil Harvey Tuesday joined the wave of criticism against Ponting and questioned his team's on-field conduct and the strength of his leadership. Harvey, the Invincibles member, said the present Test team didn't play with the right spirit and criticised Ponting for allowing his players to go too far with sledging."Certainly the captain needs to be stronger and keep his guys in line. He needs to look at himself," Harvey was quoted as saying in "The Australian".Harvey was also angered by the team's failure to shake India captain Anil Kumble's hand at the end of the Test on Sunday."I don't think they are very sporting," Harvey said.He agreed with the International Cricket Council's decision to withdraw West Indian umpire Steve Bucknor from the third Test in Perth next week, saying he was "past his best". "He has been making a lot of mistakes for the past five years." Former England captain turned commentator Tony Greig said the time had come for players to be accountable for the state of the game and walk when they know they are out.He said improved technology would continue to expose players who didn't walk and umpires who made wrong decisions."When we walked in county cricket, the game was much better for it," Greig said.

ICC asks CA to reign in Ponting and his team

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has urged Cricket Australia (CA) to reign in Ricky Ponting's men in the light of all-round criticism of their on-field behaviour during the ill-tempered second Test against India in Sydney.ICC CEO Malcolm Speed said CA needs to take notice of the criticism being directed at its team by the public, former players and commentators. "The team is being criticised, members of the team are being criticised and they need to be aware of that -- they need to respond to that," Speed was quoted saying in the 'Herald Sun'."All national teams should play cricket in the right spirit. We need to be clear what that means," he said.Speed said he was relieved that the replacement of umpire Steve Bucknor prevented an international crisis."We could have gone in banging the table and playing `who blinks first', we could have turned what is already an international incident into an international crisis.""What we have elected to do, and we have given some serious thought about this, is to take one of the issues out of play," he said.Speed said the Sydney Test was played in an atmosphere riddled by racism claims, player behaviour issues and umpiring controversy, but expressed confidence that after Bucknor's replacement and roping in of Ranjan Madugalle to work with the two captains, the unprecedented crisis would tide over."There was unhappiness about the umpiring; we put a new umpiring team in place. And we start again from the umpiring perspective in Perth and, hopefully, focus on the matters on the pitch rather than exacerbating the crisis," he said.

Tour is on, BCCI tells Cricket Australia

Indian cricket board, before it began its' emergency meeting in New Delhi, informed Cricket Australia (CA) that the tour would go ahead, according to team sources.The Indian Board softened its stance once controversial umpire Steve Bucknor was replaced by Billy Bowden and chief match referee Ranjan Madugalle was sent an SOS by the ICC to head for Australia and plaster over the cracks between the two sides. The two opposing captains, Ricky Ponting and Anil Kumble, would be told in no uncertain terms that intemperate behaviour on the pitch or outside would not be tolerated from now on.The BCCI has now agreed to fulfill its commitment and told CA that the meeting in New Delhi is only a formality, the sources said. Accordingly, the visitors would now move to Canberra tomorrow where a three-day game against ACT XI will begin from Thursday.Meanwhile, Indians have pressed forward their complaint against left-arm spinner Brad Hogg for abusing Kumble during the final hours of the second Test.ICC's chief executive Malcolm Speed has confirmed that Hogg would face a code of conduct charge in Perth.The Indians have spent the last two days at their hotel in Sydney, refusing to leave for Canberra, till the issue of Harbhajan Singh and Bucknor was dealt with quickly and firmly.

Hayden under injury threat for rest of the series

Australian opener Matthew Hayden could well be ruled out for the remaining two Tests against India following a hamstring tendon strain which he suffered during the second Test at Sydney.Hayden who scored 123 in the second innings of Sydney Test was forced to bat with a runner during the innings and there is some uncertainty over the seriousness of his injury that will be assessed this week. Australia's team physiotherapist Alex Kountouris said, ''It could take one week to heal, it could take five weeks. We are waiting to see how it looks in a few days.'' If Hayden is ruled out from the remaining two Tests, it will be a big loss for Australia as he has been a prolific scorer against the Indians.''The thing with tendons is sometimes they don't heal too well because the blood supply around them isn't too good,'' the physio added.However, Kountouris did not completely rule out the possibility that Hayden will miss the remaining two Tests.''He has a chance to play in Perth but we are waiting to see how his symptoms are.'' Hayden, who has also been battling a back injury, will rest in Brisbane for the next three days before starting a rehabilitation program and is then expected to fly to Perth with the team and be assessed by Kountouris.If Hayden is ruled out, West Australian left-hander Chris Rogers who was a contender to take Justin Langer's opening position until a bout of appendicitis paved the way for Phil Jaques, could make his Test debut on his home ground.Kountouris further added that all-rounder Andrew Symonds (ankle spur) was not in doubt for the Perth Test.Along with Hayden left-handed Chinaman Brad Hogg too is under a fitness threat and had scans yesterday after it was feared he had broken a finger while fielding in Sydney. Scans, though, revealed no fracture, but Hogg still remains in pain.Hogg's loss would not hurt Australia a great deal as the spinner returned with unimpressive bowling average of 51.50 in the two Tests against India.Australia would prefer to unleash pacer Shaun Tait on the fast and bouncy WACA pitch.

I requested Ponting not to report Harbhajan: Kumble

Indian skipper Anil Kumble today revealed that he had requested Ricky Ponting to withdraw the "racist abuse" charge against Harbhajan Singh but his plea was not taken too seriously by the Australian skipper, who was perhaps unmindful of its implications.Kumble said he made the request before the hearing began in Sydney last week but the Australian captain let it go. "I did make a request to Ponting, if it can be sorted out before it went up to the match referee. But he said a report has already been made," the Indian skipper disclosed. "Having played cricket for this long, I knew such allegations could spiral into something bigger, I envisaged it could become a larger issue," Kumble said, reflecting on the issue, which still has the potential to disrupt the tour.Harbhajan was slapped with a three-Test ban for allegedly racially abusing Andrew Symonds, outraging the Indian Board and fans. An appeal against the ban will come up for hearing soon.Kumble said the Indians, who arrived in Canberra for a three-day practice match against ACT XI, are trying to move on from the controversy, which cast a threat on the tour itself."I think it's important to move on, cricket is larger than individuals and I respect that and it's important that we move on," he said on being asked whether the two captains will sit down for a chat to sort out thorny issues."The focus for us is to ensure that we get the best possible out of this game,” he said after arriving here for a three-day practice match against ACT XI starting on Thursday.Kumble also did not commit himself on whether the captains' agreement, to go by the fielder's word on close catches, before the start of the tour would remain in practice for the rest of the series.He also refrained from commenting on his team's stance on the charge they have pressed against Australian spinner Brad Hogg, saying, "we would wait for the hearing and then let you know." Kumble reiterated that Harbhajan never used the word for which he was accused and punished by match referee Mike Procter last week. "It is a serious charge. From what we gathered from our teammates, the two people who were in the middle, that remark was never made," he asserted."Whatever people believe the word was said, he didn't say it," he added.The Indian skipper said his side wants to put the controversy behind and move on with the tour."It's nice to be playing cricket again. I look forward to this game (three-day Canberra game). It's important to move on", he added. "Hopefully, whatever happens to the appeal, we would get the right decision," Kumble said.Looking back at the two days spent in Sydney, Kumble admitted it tested his side's patience."It's been tough, very difficult, because it's a very serious issue. The entire team is together in this. Board is backing us fully, we are all with Bhajji, its not easy but he seems to be in a good mood," he said.On the third Test, Kumble wanted his team to make good use of the three-day practice game and sort out a few niggling positions in the composition of the side."We need to be on top of our games to beat Australia. We have done that in patches in this series, we had a chance to draw the Sydney game, it didn't happen," he said."I am sure there will be moments in Perth where we need to seize those opportunities," he signed off.

TOUR SUSPENDED AFTER HARBY BAN

Update 6pm Sydney time: The Indian squad has remained in Sydney on advice from the BCCI, pending the outcome of the Harby appeal. The team was due to travel to Canberra for a tour match but, after spending two hours on a tour bus, returned to their Sydney hotel.A statement issued by the BCCI said they will fight the "blatantly false and unfair slur" on an Indian player."The Board will appeal to the International Cricket Council to review the decision of the Match Referee and suspend its operation till the appeal is disposed of," the statement said.“The Indian Board realises the game of cricket is paramount but so too is the honour of the Indian team and for that matter every Indian.Earlier report: According to Fairfax newspapers, India has alleged that Hogg referred to a player as a “bastard” - a term considered highly offensive in India. This comes after Indian team management attempted to talk down the seriousness of using the word “monkey”, with team manager Chetan Chauhan stating, “It is not a derogatory word in India.” After a hearing lasting four hours, match referee Mike Procter upheld the Level 3 charge against Harbhajan, though it is likely that India will appeal the decision. If an appeal is lodged with the ICC, Harby will be free to play until the appeal is heard. Otherwise, he won’t take any further part in the series.Speaking to the media after the hearing Mike Procter said, “I am satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that Harbhajan Singh directed that word (“monkey”) at Andrew Symonds and also that he meant it to offend on the basis of Symonds’ race or ethnic origin.”At the time of the incident, Harby was batting with Sachin Tendulkar and went out of his way to approach Symonds. Australian captain Ricky Ponting was informed immediately and, as required by a pre-series agreement, reported the breach of conduct to the on-field umpires.Australia won the second Test in controversial circumstances, after numerous incorrect umpiring decisions benefited the hosts. Indian skipper Anil Kumble accused Ponting’s team of not playing in the spirit of the game, and the Aussie skipper responded angrily when his integrity was questioned.“I think only one team was playing in the spirit of the game,” said Kumble at his post-match press conference, prompting a round of applause from Indian journalists. When an Indian journalist questioned Ponting’s claims to have caught Mahendra Singh Dhoni cleanly, the Aussie captain responded angrily. “I think you’ve got something wrong there,” he snapped. “There is no way I grounded that ball. If you are actually questioning my integrity in the game then you shouldn’t be standing there.”Ponting refused to claim a catch off Rahul Dravid in the first innings because he wasn’t sure whether it carried. “Doesn’t that explain the way I play the game? I am saying I am 100 per cent sure I would have caught that catch off Dhoni today. As it turned out it was given not out anyway. Am I right or wrong? Am I right or wrong?” he asked.The captains agreed prior to the series that a fieldsman’s word would be sufficient to determine whether a catch had been taken cleanly or not, though Kumble said that would need to be reviewed. Michael Clarke claimed a catch earlier in the day though replays, as always, were inconclusive.

HARBY'S BAN DESERVES TO STAND

Harbhajan Singh deserved to be banned for three matches. India’s decision to suspend their tour until they get a result from appeal - no doubt it needs to be an outcome favourable to the tourists - is disgraceful. Match referee Mike Procter was convinced, beyond reasonable doubt, that Singh uttered the infamous racial slur “monkey” during the second Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Harbhajan maintains his innocence, though the Australians say it’s not the first time the Indian spinner has used the term about Andy Symonds. The story out of the Indian camp has been a confusing one. Team management, while stating that the word “monkey” was not uttered, was keen to point out that, even if it was, no offence would have been intended. In India the word “monkey” is used as a term of affection, claimed Harsha Bhogle on The 7:30 Report.That’s all well and good, but it doesn’t wash in this situation. On Australia’s recent seven match ODI tour of India, Andy Symonds was subjected to racial taunts from the crowd. There’s irrefutable proof that crowd members were imitating monkeys and holding up offensive signs as Roy came out to bat, despite denials from the BCCI. The footage of those patrons, aired on The Cricket Show during the Sydney Test, seemed to suggest the taunting was anything but affectionate. The monkey taunts received widespread media coverage at the time. There is no way that Harbhajan Singh could not have got the message: it’s probably not a good idea to use the word ‘monkey’ to Andy Symonds, under any circumstances. He went ahead and did the crime, so should do the time.It seems that India are using the Harbhajan ban as an excuse to protest, when really the issue is the poor umpiring standard that marred the Sydney Test. Steve Bucknor’s decision to give Rahul Dravid out caught behind on the final day was one of the worst decisions I’ve seen on a cricket field, and he should not be allowed to stand in the Perth Test match.It wasn’t the only howler of the match, unfortunately. Roy Symonds, Ricky Ponting, Mike Hussey and VVS Laxman all received reprieves when they shouldn’t have, some more than one. But what goes around comes around, with Punter given out when he wasn’t. That brings me to Ponting’s behaviour during the match. For an Aussie captain, it was appalling. While calls for him to step down as skipper are overkill, some of his antics were highly embarrassing. Throwing your bat when you get back to the changing room is poor form for anyone, though it’s especially bad when you’re the captain and you’ve already been gifted 30-odd bonus runs thanks to an umpiring error. Then there was the celebrations on the final day. The Aussie XI had a right to be overjoyed, they’d just won a Test when even Bull Lawry had given up hope. But neglecting to shake Apple Crumble’s hand immediately reflected poorly on the hosts. Think of Fred Flintoff comforting Brett Lee in the Edgbaston aftermath: a humble victory celebration compared to one reeking of unwarranted hubris.

Team India postpone departure to Canberra

The Indian cricket team today postponed its departure to Canberra to file an appeal against the three Test ban slapped on Harbhajan Singh for alleged racist comments on all-rounder Andrew Symonds.The team stayed put in the hotel, postponing their trip to Canberra where they will play a tour match, but sources said there is no immediate threat to the ongoing tour as yet. "The visitors are unlikely to leave for Canberra today where they are scheduled to play a two-day game against Australia Cricketers Territory (ACT) XI beginning on January 10," sources said."We are most likely to leave for Canberra tomorrow. If there is no threat to the tour, there is no threat to this side game also," commented a member of the team management on condition of anonymity.Earlier the team twice changed its plan to leave for Canberra, first looking to keep their scheduled departure of 10.30 a.m local time intact, climbing up the bus and staying put in it for close to two hours. The parleys between the team management and Indian board back home then made players retrace their steps back to the team hotel. Again, in the afternoon, there appeared a possibility for players to leave for Canberra before this plan too was shelved.

India files appeal with ICC over Harbhajan ban

Raising the stakes, a furious BCCI today filed an appeal with the ICC against the three-match ban slapped on off-spinner Harbhajan Singh and asked the Indian team to stay put in Sydney as part of pressure tactics to get its case heard.Angry over the ban and calling it "unfair and unacceptable", an emergency meeting of the Board decided to fight out the issue with the Australians and the umpires who had done India in the second Test which went in favour of the home team. Arun Jaitley, a senior Board office-bearer and a well-known lawyer drafted the complaint against Match Referee Mike Procter's ban decision on the ground Harbhajan had racially abused Andrew Symonds and filed it with the international body within 24 hours of the decision as required under rules.Parellelly it asked the Indian team to stay put in Sydney and not go to Canberra where a two-day practice match is scheduled from Thursday.After the late night punishment handed out by Procter, a furious BCCI President Sharad Pawar called an emergency meeting at his residence in Delhi this morning where all options including pulling out of the series were said to have been considered.At the meeting, it was decided to appeal against Procter's order and ask the ICC to suspend the order till the final disposal of the appeal.

Indian team express solidarity with Harbhajan

Indian cricket team held a meeting at the hotel this morning to express solidarity with Harbhajan Singh, who has been slapped with a three-Test suspension for an alleged racial abuse against Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds.The meeting, "an informal one," according to media manager MV Sridhar--- was held under the stewardship of skipper Anil Kumble, was also an attempt to convey the Indian cricket Board the simmering discontent of the team on the injustice meted out to Harbhajan. Team India is unable to come to terms with the fact that Harbhajan has been deemed guilty on the basis of hearsay, the testimony which Symonds' team-mates Michael Clarke and Matthew Hayden provided to the match referee Mike Procter. There is a tremendous disquiet among the boys on the manner justice and fair play was given a short shrift by the two umpires as well as the Australian team during the Sydney Test at the SCG which the hosts won by 122 runs on Sunday.There is no immediate threat to the tour nor any ultimatum has been conveyed to the Board but cricketers have sought their best to convey how strongly they feel about the issue.They sure want the board to take up the issue with utmost seriousness.

Indian team’s Australia tour isn’t off

Racism row and umpiring controversies notwithstanding, Indian cricket team's tour of the country is very much on, Cricket Australia (CA) asserted today.CA Chief Executive James Sutherland said cricket boards of both the countries were holding discussion but "there has been no advice of the Indian tour to Australia being cancelled." "CA Chief Executive Officer James Sutherland said CA and the Indian cricket board, the BCCI, are continuing to discuss issues arising during the recent Sydney Test between Australia and India."However, those discussions have not included any advice that the tour will not continue," the CA statement read.The acrimonious series seemed to have hit the roadblock after the eventful second Test, which saw India at the receiving end of some of the horrendous umpiring decisions followed by a three-match ban on Harbhajan Singh , allegedly for racially abusing Andrew Symonds , even though neither of the on-field umpires heard anything nor the stump microphone caught anything.Match Referee Mike Procter still went by whatever the Australian players told him during a marathon hearing yesterday and slapped the ban on Harbhajan.India responded by filing a complaint against Brad Hogg for abusing an Indian player and also stayed put here, refusing to move to Canberra for their practice match before the third Test.

Symonds gagged from speaking on racism row

Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds, at the centre of the racism row that led to the ban of Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, has been gagged by Cricket Australia and ICC from commenting on the heated topic in his newspaper column.Explaining reasons behind not carrying the column, the daily said, "Symonds was gagged by Cricket Australia and threatened with censure by the ICC." The Sunday Telegraph was not granted access to him despite Symonds' contractual arrangement to write a weekly column through the season, the daily wrote.Interestingly, Cricket Australia's media office offered to provide a column written by one of their employees under Symonds' name, dealing only with matters relating to play and not the "monkey slur" racism crisis, but the daily rejected the offer."Our readers do not deserve to be subject to such censorship," the newspaper said."A column written by a CA employee under Symonds' name would not fit in with the principles of this newspaper or this company. Nor would it be of any value to readers.When times get tough, cricket officialdom goes missing, preferring to protect revenue at all costs, way over and above any obligation to inform the great fans of this country, without whom there would be no game at all," it said.

2nd Test rotten from day one: Aus media

The controversy-ridden second cricket Test between India and Australia was a "rotten contest" from Day one and singularly failed to elevate the spirit of sportsmanship, the Australian media has said.The media sarcastically said the Sydney encounter was a match that will have been relished only by "rabid nationalists" and others for whom victory and vengeance are the sole reasons for playing sport. India lost the match. The Sydney Test entertained spectators at the ground, provided some excellent batting but left a "sour taste" in the mouth, the "Melbourne Age" newspaper said.Until another shocking decision was made by an umpire (Steve Bucknor) reliable in his time but past his prime, the fifth day of this "unattractive contest" was offering plenty of tension to put alongside the memorable hundreds contributed by capable batsmen on both the sides, it said."Had the umpiring been even remotely acceptable on the opening days, or had replays been used to give embattled umpires a chance, India might perchance have won the contest but that will forever remain in the land of conjecture," it said.The newspaper said Rahul Dravid 's dismissal in the second innings at a crucial juncture compromised all subsequent events rendering meaningless the continuation of Australia's run of victories.On another issue, the newspaper said despite the amiability of many players, Ponting's team is developing a reputation for being headstrong and precious. " Matthew Hayden 's belittling of Anil Kumble 's bowling at the MCG was case in point," it said.The newspaper hoped that at least a vestige of sportsmanship is observed when the teams next meet in Perth."What happens in the middle has a nasty habit of spreading further afield," it said.

Harbhajan Singh banned for three Tests

Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh tonight banned for three Test matches after the ICC Match Referee Mike Procter upheld the Australian charge that he had racially abused their all-rounder Andrew Symonds, a decision against which the Indian team will appeal within 24 hours.Procter gave a marathon six-and-a-half hour hearing to Harbhajan, who denied the charge and was supported by skipper Anil Kumble, Sachin Tendulkar, manager Chetan Chauhan and media manager M V Sridhar during the deliberations. Procter also heard Symonds, who was backed by Australian captain Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist, Matthew Hayden, Michael Clarke along with team manager Steve Bernard, who attended the hearing to testify against the Indian spinner.
After the hearing, which went beyond 2 am (Sydney time), there was no official word about the verdict but informed sources said that the three-Test ban was being slapped on Harbhajan, who is fully backed by the BCCI and the team.The appeal will be made to the Commissioner of Appeals and pending the appeal, the off-spinner can continue to play.After the hearing, Sridhar had said that they had not ruled out returning home, but the BCCI later played down the threat.Meanwhile, the Indians have also filed a complaint against Australian spinner Brad Hogg for using abusive language during the ill-tempered second Test in Sydney.

Pull out by India can affect cricketing ties with us: Ponting

Australia captain Ricky Ponting admitted the "tainted" Sydney Test has left "sour taste" in the Indian mouth but warned pulling out of the tour might jeopardize cricketing ties between the two countries."I think the whole (Test) has been tainted a little bit by some of the events during and then after the game. Otherwise I think this actual game and the first Test in Melbourne, apart from the one issue which everyone knows about right at the moment, was played in very, very good spirits," Ponting told 'Channel Nine'. "Sure there has been something else in the background that has happened in this last Test that has put a sour taste in a couple of the Indian team's mouths," he said.But pulling out would not be the right reaction, he said."...I think it is important for all of us to look past that and realise that both India and Australia have got and have had tremendous relations through a hundred years of Test cricket and you wouldn't like to think that one little incident like this would bring undone all the great work that has been done over a long period of time," he said.Ponting, who was speaking before India filed a complaint against Brad Hogg for abusing one of the players, was baffled by the widespread criticism of his team."It's disappointing and they are entitled to their opinion, but if you look back at the game I really can't see how we have done anything wrong by the spirit of the game."There is one incident that has come out of these first two Tests and it doesn't involve the Australians," he said.

We're not sorry about anything: Gilchrist

Australia vice captain Adam Gilchrist has dismissed Indian captain Anil Kumble's criticism about the lack of sportsman spirit among the hosts and said his teammates don't regret their behaviour in the Sydney Test. "Though I have not seen his comments or heard him, but that's what I have been told about. I think that's not right," an unrepentant Gilchrist said. "Definitely we don't feel so and we are not sorry about anything. I do not know what he is referring to," Gilchrist told CNN-IBN.Enraged over the on-field antics of the Aussies, Kumble, had earlier said that only one team was playing in the true spirit of the game.The match which gave the Australia a record equalling 16th straight Test win was marred by poor umpiring and ugly on-field spat between the two sides.India bore the brunt of umpiring blunders by Steve Bucknor and Mark Benson and the dubious dismissals of Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly on the last day cost them the match.Gilchrist, however, was not ready to dwell on the controversies and preferred to savour the thrilling win."We obviously enjoyed the end result. Both the teams at any point of time in the game could say they have the upper hand and the other time forth back."So it's topsy-turvy and we just grabbed it from the jaws of the draw I guess. At the end it was thrill. At some of the controversial ground, there was lot of talking points but yeah look we got through," he said.

Harbhajan has himself to blame: Symonds

Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds admitted he had a "crack" at Harbhajan Singh in the second Test but said the Indian off-spinner has only himself to blame for incurring a three-match ban by Match Referee Mike Procter.Symonds claimed Harbhajan had hit Brett Lee while batting, following which he had an altercation with the Indian. But if the episode earned Harbhajan a three-match ban from Procter, the off-spinner has none but himself to blame for that, Symonds said. "I'm a firm believer in sticking up for your teammate, so I stepped in and had a bit of a crack at Harbhajan, telling him exactly what I thought of his antics," Symonds told "The Daily Telegraph'."He then had a shot back, which brings us to the situation we're facing tonight," he said, squarely blaming the Indian for the issue which has now snowballed into a major contention with the BCCI challenging the ban order.Recalling how it all started, Symonds said, "Brett Lee had just sent down a delivery and Harbhajan took off down the wicket. When he was returning to his crease, he decided to hit Brett on the backside. I have no idea why he did it. I was standing nearby and when I saw what happened I thought: 'Hold on, that's not on'." Symonds claimed India and Australia shared a pretty cordial relation before the incident soured it all."I must admit the incident was pretty surprising, because relations between the two sides so far have been very good. It's been a series played in really good spirit. There's been no sledging or bad blood."

Racist slur charge on Harbhajan unacceptable: BCCI

The Indian Cricket Board today slammed the charge of racial slur on Harbhajan Singh as "blatantly false" and described the three-Test ban imposed by ICC Match Referee Mike Procter as "patently unfair" and unacceptable.BCCI demanded immediate suspension of the ban on the off-spinner pending disposal of its appeal. It also pointed out to the ICC that India had always stood against apartheid (practised in the past by South Africa) and for the Indian Cricket Board the anti-racial stance is "an article of faith." "The Indian Board does not accept the findings of the Match Referee and has decided to challenge the unfair decision to suspend Harbhajan Singh as it deems it patently unfair," BCCI Secretary Niranjan Shah said in a media statement. "The Board will appeal to the International Cricket Council to review the decision of the Match Referee and suspend its operation till the appeal is disposed of."The Indian Board realises the game of cricket is paramount but so too is the honour of the Indian team and for that matter every Indian. To vindicate its position, the Board will fight the blatantly false and unfair slur on an Indian player," Shah said.He has also termed the events during the second Test, lost by India at the Sydney Cricket Ground amidst woeful umpiring as a matter "of great concern" and said some of them can have a far-reaching impact on international cricket.

Only one team played in true spirit of the game: Kumble

Indian captain Anil Kumble today lambasted the Australians for their unsportsmanlike behaviour in the second Test in Sydney, saying only his side played the match in the true spirit of the game."Only one team was playing with the spirit of the game, that's all I can say," a dejected Kumble said after his side went down by 122 runs largely due to the umpiring blunders and some inept batting. "It's tough when you've played all forms of cricket over the last 25 years and end up on the losing side like this -- it does affect you," he added.Kumble said his side was still trying hard to take the whole episode sportingly but admitted that he was hard not to feel outraged by the continuous umpiring errors."You try and take it sportingly, but it's very difficult and it hurts when you lose like this and then when you've had a great chance to win the Test match and square the series, but unfortunately it didn't happen," he rued.In an emotionally charged statement Kumble said he was disappointed with the lack of sportsman spirit shown by the Australians."We'd like to play hard on the field and expect that from Australia as well. I've played my cricket very sincerely and honestly, that's the approach my team takes and we expect that from Australia as well," he said.Kumble hardly minced words in blaming the dubious umpiring by Mark Benson and Steve Bucknor for his side's heart-breaking loss."It's there for everyone to see, I am not going to comment on it," was Kumble's sarcastic response when asked what he thought was the difference between the two sides."(The umpiring) was there for everyone to see but it was important for us to keep those things out of our mind. We lost a little bit of focus. I think we should have batted the last two sessions," he added. "We played fantastic cricket from day one after the loss in Melbourne. We even took a lead in the first innings but unfortunately could not save the match. Even today a couple of things did not go our way."Kumble said he could understand the umpires getting it wrong on a few occasions but their consistent errors probably cost India a chance to go 1-1 with Australia ahead of the third Test in Perth."We understand that things happen in a match and you have to get on with it but there were too many things happening in this one. And it's difficult to keep your focus in the face of all this. But we tried hard... played brilliantly," Kumble said, trying to put up a brave face."You don't want to lose a match after being in the position that we were in. We dominated the first innings but unfortunately could not convert into the right result," Kumble said.Kumble, however, brushed aside suggestions that the defeat and the poor umpiring would have a demoralising effect on the team."I know the spirit is good in the team but obviously a draw would have lifted us. But still we are confident of doing well in Perth. We have 10 days to go before that match and assess our performance. We also have a practice game coming up so we are looking forward to that," he said."Our job is to go and play to the best of our ability and we will do that in Perth. There are a few positives that we will take from this game like the batting of Sachin Tendulkar, and VVS Laxman and Harbhajan's bowling and his batting as well," he added.

Harbhajan is innocent: Sachin

Upset over the ban imposed on Harbhajan Singh, Sachin Tendulkar today sent an sms to BCCI chief Sharad Pawar assuring him that the off-spinner was innocent and suggesting that India should play the third Test only if the punishment is revoked."Harbhajan is innocent and I can assure you on this. In this hour of crisis, the Board should stand by him. I suggest we should play in Perth only if the ban is lifted," Tendulkar reportedly told Pawar through the text message. Sachin was among the five Indians, who attended the ICC Match Referee Mike Procter's hearing into the allegation of racial abuse made by Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds.
Pawar, meanwhile, said he spoke to Indian skipper Anil Kumble and team manager Chetan Chauhan also before the appeal against Procter's verdict was prepared and the BCCI was expecting a response from the ICC by tomorrow."I have seen the draft and it was approved by Arun Jaitely and other colleagues. I spoke to skipper Anil Kumble, Sachin Tendulkar and manager Chetan Chauhan, understood the situation and took their views and assessment."We have demanded the supension of the ban. We are expecting (a response) from the ICC by tomorrow. We also have a Working Committee meeting, so will take the final decision tomorrow," Pawar told reporters in New Delhi.

Sachin Tendulkar likes tormenting Australia

The Australians consider the number 87 unlucky because it is 13 short of 100 and Sachin Tendulkar is the 187th player to represent India in Test cricket.Having tormented Australia with his batting exploits in the past, Tendulkar proved once again that he reserves his best for the world champion team when he notched up his 38th Test ton at the Sydney Cricket Ground today. The unbeaten 154 was his eighth century against the Aussies, five of which have come Down Under.Like VVS Laxman, Tendulkar has a special bond with the SCG as he compiled his third hundred at the majestic venue.He came to Sydney for the first time in 1992 as a precocious teenager and grabbed attention with a sublime 148 not out.After a relatively lean visit in 2000, Tendulkar scored unbeaten knocks of 241 and 60 in 2004. With his latest ton, his average at the ground has gone well past 300.Time and again, Tendulkar has proved to be a major thorn for the Australians.With more than 2,000 runs against them at an average of over 53, he clearly relishes the challenge posed by the Australians, regarded as the toughest team in world cricket.His duels with leg-spinner Shane Warne are well documented known and the tweaker has openly admitted that Tendulkar gave him nightmares after repeatedly clobbering his bowling.Before the ongoing Test got underway, Tendulkar had compiled 1,936 runs in 22 Tests against Australia at an average of 52.32 and his performance in the first innings will only help to increase the average.He had 498 runs in his previous three Sydney Tests at a staggering average of 249, which will be boosted further after today's effort.

Pietersen weds pop star bride

England cricket star Kevin Pietersen has married pop singer Jessica Taylor in a private ceremony, a spokesman said.Hampshire batsman Pietersen and Taylor, who topped the British singles charts with her former band Liberty X, married at St Andrew's Church in the picturesque village of Castle Combe in Wiltshire, south-west England on Saturday.Henry Jacob of The Outside Organisation, which represents both the 27-year-olds, said, "We can confirm that today Kevin Pietersen and Jessica Taylor were married."The private wedding was attended by close family, relatives and friends of the couple. They are now going away on their honeymoon and will return to the UK in January."Former England fast bowler Darren Gough was Pietersen's best man. England Test captain Michael Vaughan and One Day International skipper Paul Collingwood were among the stars in attendance.

CommonWealth Bank Series, 2008

Matches	Date	Teams	Venue
1st Match	February 03, 2008	Australia vs India	Brisbane
2nd Match	February 05, 2008	Sri Lanka vs India	Brisbane
3rd Match	February 08, 2008	Australia vs Sri Lanka	Sydney
4th Match	February 10, 2008	Australia vs India	Melbourne
5th Match	February 12, 2008	Sri Lanka vs India	Canberra
6th Match	February 15, 2008	Australia vs Sri Lanka	Perth
7th Match	February 17, 2008	Australia vs India	Adelaide
8th Match	February 19, 2008	Sri Lanka vs India	delaide
9th Match	February 22, 2008	Australia vs Sri Lanka	Melbourne
10th Match	February 24, 2008	Australia vs India	Sydney
11th Match	February 26, 2008	Sri Lanka vs India	Hobart
12th Match	February 29, 2008	Australia vs Sri Lanka	Melbourne
1st Final	March 02, 2008	TBC vs TBC	Sydney
2nd Final	March 04, 2008	TBC vs TBC	Brisbane
3rd Final	March 07, 2008	TBC vs TBC	Adelaide

Pakistan says Australia tour still on

Pakistan's cricket chief says Australia's planned tour starting in March is still on despite the turmoil unleashed by the assassination of Benazir Bhutto.Nasim Ashraf, the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), said he believed the country would be back to normal within two weeks and that the tour could proceed as planned. "At this point in time the Australian team's tour is on as per schedule," Mr Ashraf said.Reports have said that several Australian players may withdraw from the tour to Pakistan even if a Cricket Australia (CA) security team gives a positive account after its February pre-tour inspection.Australia is due to play three Tests, five one-day internationals, and a Twenty20 match in Pakistan in March-April.Test all-rounder Andrew Symonds has voiced his concerns over touring Pakistan and reports said another Australian Test player revealed that security fears are widespread throughout the team.Speaking on condition of anonymity, the player told the Sydney Morning Herald there was a possibility that a number of players would withdraw even if Cricket Australia gives the go-ahead.

West Indies tour of South Africa, 2007-2008 Tests Series & ODI Series Schedule

Matches	Date	Teams	Venue
1st Test	Dec 26, 2007 - Dec 30, 2007	West Indies vs South Africa,	Port Elizabeth
2nd Test	Jan 02, 2008 - Jan 06, 2008	West Indies vs South Africa	Cape Town
3rd Test	Jan 10, 2008 - Jan 14, 2008	West Indies vs South Africa	Durban
Twenty 20	January 18, 2008	West Indies vs South Africa	Johannesburg
1st ODI	January 20, 2008	West Indies vs South Africa	Centurion
2nd ODI	January 25, 2008	West Indies vs South Africa	Cape Town
3rd ODI	January 27, 2008	West Indies vs South Africa	Port Elizabeth
4th ODI	February 01, 2008	West Indies vs South Africa	Durban
5th ODI	February 03, 2008	West Indies vs South Africa	Johannesburg

Dismal calls pave way for new technology

Sydney: Chief Executive officer of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Malcolm Speed was witness to the mayhem caused by umpires Steve Bucknor and Mark Benson in the ongoing second Test match between Australia and India at the Sydney Cricket Ground.Their dismal performance continued on day two and three also. A huge outcry has broken out in both in India and Australia over the horrific standards of umpiring forcing Speed to indicate that the ICC may go in for referrals on appeals by players in the forthcoming ICC Champions Trophy scheduled to be held in Pakistan.“A player on either team could appeal up to three decisions in an innings and they would be referred to the television umpire. I don't think it will be trialled in Tests," Speed told the ABC.He however clarified that Hawk Eye and Snickometer will not be used to aid these decisions.The use of technology for umpiring has been a hotly debate issue with the ICC cricket committee veering towards the conservative side while trying to bring in aides to help on field umpires. In 2006 The ICC Cricket committee had passed the appeal system but the proposal could not be implemented after a division in vote amongst the presidents of the full members of ICC. "Let's see if it works, then have the debate," Speed said."I'm not concerned about the credibility of cricket. Generally there's a sense the decisions even themselves out. The dilemma is the technology has got better and what do we do with it?"Interestingly, in that 5-5 drawn vote Pakistan and Australia vociferously voted against it. Now, after watching both India and Australia becoming victims of erroneous decisions by the white-coat men , CEO of Cricket Australia James Sutherland has expressed his willingness to bring in more technology for decision making during matches In the leading national daily - The Australian he was quoted as saying."I think there is a strong argument on the technological side. In tennis it works where a player can make only two or three [incorrect] appeals in the course of a match. That may be something that makes people think twice about using the appeals at the right time."Sutherland however expressed concerns over the delay TV referrals cause in the game making it less viewer friendly and discouraging for broadcasters.”There is also a sense of delay when there is this use of technology," Sutherland said."We see that at the moment with run-outs, and people may argue that the game of cricket doesn't need any more delays than it already has.”Broadcasting companies though have not shown open dissent to the possibility of introduction of appeals. According to Channel 9, technology is not 100 per cent fool-proof either. Besides, broadcasters are averse to getting TV technology involved in crucial decisions."I'd hate us to be involved in the judicial system of cricket," said Steve Crawley, executive producer of Channel 9."We've only got one thing 100 per cent backed up by science and that's Hot Spot; the others aren't 100 per cent."Snicko is very well informed but it's not 100 per cent, and Hawk-Eye's not 100 per cent. Its a long, dour game as it is but if the ICC decides to go down that path, we'll co-operate."

'Injuries need constant monitoring'

Fast bowlers are expected to live with injuries through their careers, but the way the Indians have been getting injured time and again, is surely a worrying factor. It is heartening to see a number of pace bowlers burst on to the scene and also contribute in winning matches, but making a comeback after an injury has not been easy for them, with Laxmipathy Balaji and Ashish Nehra the ones to have been lost to the national team despite their talent.In fact, injuries have been a constant companion of almost all the leading pace-men of the country in the last five years - Irfan Pathan got injured in 2003, Balaji suffered an injury in early 2004, Sreesanth in 2005, Munaf Patel in 2006 and RP Singh in 2007.Sreesanth is again down with an injury while it seems easier to remember when Munaf Patel rather than the matches he missed. Now India's pace bowling spearhead Zaheer Khan has joined the list and has been ruled out of the remainder of the crucial Australian cricket tour with an ankle injury.Khan, who led the attack in a 337-run loss to Australia in Melbourne last week, failed a fitness test just before the second Test in Sydney.Even though the recurrence of injuries can't be ruled out completely as the recovery period from match to match has become too short, but as the MRF Pace Foundation's chief coach, T A Shekhar pointed out, it is important to have the technique essential for the survival of a fast bowler."Injuries can't be avoided but can definitely be minimized by constantly monitoring of the technique of a fast bowler. Causes of most injuries are faulty techniques and a bowling coach has a major role to play in studying the technique and making required amendments from time to time," insisted Shekhar.Adding that it is also as important to provide a proper rehabilitation programme after an injury, so that a player can recover quickly, Shekhar said, "The BCCI should set up a good backend by giving a good rehabilitation programme in order to let a player prepare himself technically and mentally." But former India paceman, Javagal Srinath, insists that at the first place the constant break downs should not happen and he blames it on the Indian team's physio John Gloster, who had said that the absence of a proper rehabilitation programme for injured players is a major factor in this country."Why the Indian pacers breaking down so often is something the physio can answer better. I can understand his disappointment but he should be setting high standards at his front first. I think he should not wait for injury before start to take care of the players," Srinath reacted.But if sports fitness trainer, Ramji Srinivasan is to be believed, a pacer who understands his own body the best is the one who is most successful in the field because every time a fast bowler lands while delivering the ball, a force measuring 8 to 10 times his body weight passes through joints below his waist that results in additional workload that a paceman's body takes, hence, he is the best judge on how to handle things at the end of the day."There are various formats and protocols available but it is important that a player derive the best possible combination according to his own body mechanism," said Ramji.Ramji further said that the Australian and the English specialized regimes can be incorporated with the Indian set up but it has to carefully put into practice, keeping in mind Indian players' body mechanisms.But all said and done, when Srinath was asked about how he sees the bowlers who hide their injuries in order to maintain their place in the team, he said, "You can't play for long by hiding your injury and if you have a greater view of your career, then injuries shouldn't be aggravated. So, it has to do with the right attitude.""A pacer can be successful only if he knows his regime and works within his limitations," the Karnataka fast bowler concluded.

Prince takes South Africa into lead

Cape Town: Ashwell Prince steered South Africa to a potentially crucial first innings lead on the third day as the second Test against the West Indies developed into a war of attrition at Newlands on Friday. South Africa were 289 for eight at lunch, a lead of 46 in a low-scoring match in which runs have been hard to score on a slow pitch with a slow outfield. Prince was unbeaten on 90. Daren Powell bowled unchanged for the West Indies, who were without injured fellow fast bowler Fidel Edwards, taking two of the three wickets that fell during the morning. Powell's 13 overs from the start of play brought him two for 39 from 13 overs for overall figures of two for 108. Dwayne Bravo bowled in tandem with Powell for ten overs and claimed the third wicket to improve his figures to four for 72. The West Indies' loss of Edwards with a strained right hamstring seemed likely to be duplicated by South Africa. Dale Steyn, also suffering from a right hamstring strain, batted with a runner when he came out to bat shortly before lunch despite coach Mickey Arthur saying Thursday that the fast bowler was likely to bowl in the second innings. Prince and Mark Boucher took their overnight partnership to 129 before Boucher was bowled by Bravo for 59, made off 137 balls with six fours. Boucher attempted to pull the ball but it deflected off a bottom edge into his stumps. Powell had Paul Harris caught at second slip and Andre Nel caught behind. The left-handed Prince looked solid and played some impressive pull shots as he moved to 90 off 216 balls with ten fours.

Sachin Tendulkar made his 38th Test century in Border-Gavaskar Trophy - 2nd Test

Sachin Tendulkar reached an elusive 38th Test century as India edged closer to secure a first innings lead over Australia on the third day of the second Test at the SCG on Friday.Brett Lee continued to make inroads in the Indian batting order; his wicket moments before lunch was followed by a double jolt immediately afterwards, as India slumped to 345-7, in danger of giving away a substantial lead.But in Harbhajan Singh Tendulkar found a suitable partner as the duo put on an unbeaten 79 runs in quick time as India crossed the 400-run mark before Tendulkar emphatically celebrated his third century at the venue. Harbhajan was not out on 41 when tea was called.Earlier, Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar carried on India's charge from where VVS Laxman left off in India's first innings with half centuries before Ganguly fell to Brad Hogg for 67 with a loose shot.Yuvraj Singh, too, then departed after a tentative stay in the middle for 12 when the left hander was out leg before to Brett Lee moments before lunch was called.After an improved batting performance from the first Test, Ganguly brought up his fifty from just 68 balls after completing a 50-run fourth wicket stand with Tendulkar.VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid laid the foundation with contrasting knocks on Thursday for India to mount a stern reply to Australia's first-innings 463, before the veteran batsmen got together.

We are looking to win, says special Laxman

Sydney: After his third successive Test century at the Sydney Cricket Ground, V V S Laxman on Friday said he had a special relationship with the venue which helped him produce his best on the famous turf."Obviously, you feel good about a venue where you have done well. There is a familiarity with the conditions and my case is no different," Laxman said after his 109 in India's first innings made it three-in-a-row at the SCG.Laxman's affair with the SCG has now lasted eight years after he scored 167 for a losing cause in 1999-2000, 178 in a drawn match in 2003-2004 and Friday's knock which revived Indian batting on this tour.He put on 175 runs for the second wicket with Rahul Dravid (53) after India lost Wasim Jaffer with only eight on the board."Rahul showed a lot of character. He wasn't timing the ball but he stayed around. They bowled well to him, in good areas but he kept fighting."It wasn't as much important as what we were doing individually in the middle. It was more important though what we could raise together."However, the elegant Hyderabadi was disappointed that both of them got out in quick succession."I was disappointed that we got out so close to each other. I would have been happy to have retired not out today and padded up tomorrow morning."Laxman gave credit to left-arm chinaman bowler Brad Hogg, who claimed his prized scalp."I was deceived in the flight. It wasn't as if there was a lapse of concentration. It was a misjudgement on the line and length of the delivery." India planned to bat for a long time and post a big score, Laxman said."Our priority would be to bat well tomorrow and take a big lead. We are not thinking of drawing a match, rather we are looking to win this Test."The SCG wicket was better for batting than the one at Melbourne, Laxman felt."The ball was not coming on in Melbourne. One couldn't play shots freely and had to play the waiting game. This (SCG) is a good batting wicket," he said.Laxman said Indian batsmen were conscious not to get out for 30s and 40s as they had done so regularly in the first Test.He also viewed his position at number three as an advantage as he could set the pace for the innings."You are setting the pace at number three. At number six, you are playing in a situation the team is already in."The Indians were at the wrong end of several umpiring decisions in the match so far, but Laxman preferred to look at the positives."You want to do things which you can control. Certain things you can't so there is no point thinking about it."The fact that his spot in the team had frequently been under pressure did not bother him either."When you play for your country you don't think about adulation and all that. All my friends in India didn't get an opportunity to play for the country."I just want to do my duty and fulfill my responsibility for the team and country," Laxman added.

'Aussies not thinking about 16 in a row'

Sydney: Australia may be just one shy of equalling the world record of 16 consecutive Test wins, but speedster Brett Lee on Thursday said the team was not wavering in its focus against the Indians at the Sydney Cricket Ground."We don't want to lose our focus. It's important we go out and enjoy ourselves in the middle and try to do our best.If we play well and enjoy, we might still see the 16th Test win happen," Lee said after India finished the second day at 216-3 in reply to the hosts 463.VVS Laxman was the player largely responsible for the Indian fight back and Lee was lavish in his praise for the stylish Hyderabadi batsman."He has made a habit of scoring well against Australia and we all hold him in a very high esteem. He batted brilliantly in the middle."However, he noted that wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist reprieved Laxman and Dravid, who made 53 in a second wicket stand of 175."Yeah, he (Gilchrist) dropped a few but everyone can have an off-day. Like a batsman or a bowler, even a wicketkeeper can have an off day."But I am sure he wouldn't be thinking a lot about it tonight and come back to do well tomorrow," the fast bowler said. Sachin Tendulkar would be looking for a big score tomorrow and Lee was looking forward to the duel on the third day."Tendulkar is a brilliant batsman, perhaps in the top two or three in the world. I have always looked forward to testing myself against him and am looking forward for tomorrow," he said.The Test has been mired with several umpiring blunders but Lee stood up for the officials saying the mistakes should be treated as human errors."So much is being said about it but I really feel that it all evens out. Some days I find batsmen being reprieved after they have nicked me and on other days they are given out when they haven't played me. It all balances out in the end," he reasoned.

ICC must take notice of umpiring errors

Sydney: The men in the white coats are under the heat. Even Day 2 in Sydney wasn't error-free. The Indian team management however has stated that it won't lodge a formal complaint against the umpiring errors, though they have said that these mistakes are likely to have an impact on the game's outcome. No one knows what stopped Steve Bucknor from referring some of the decisions to the third umpire. For a man who has umpired in 119 Tests and 167 One-Dayers for the last 2 decades, it was an unforgivable error, forcing the Indian management to issue a carefully worded statement."Well, there is a sense of disappointment about some of the decisions yesterday and we have a feeling that it will have a bearing on the outcome of the match,” said M V Sridhar, Media manager of the Indian cricket Team. But why was it decided not to lodge an official complaint against these shockers? The Indian camp feels that it would send out a signal that the team is making excuses, although a subtle message was sent out.“We don’t want to be judgmental at this stage. The appropriate authorities will take whatever action they find is suitable,” added Sridhar. Clearly, the man on the radar is Bucknor. There is a belief that the Jamaican has always had a pronounced anti-India bias. Even in the usually combative Aussie camp there seems to be some sympathy for India“No doubt about it. Both the chances, would have (costed India a lot), probably more heated discussion has taken place in the Indian dressing room about the umpiring,” said Aussie vice-captain, Adam Gilchrist. And while the Australian press has by and large been quiet on the issue, respected cricket writer Peter Roebuck has called the umpiring dreadful. He wrote: "Umpires resist the onset of technology to resolve tricky decisions. Nothing in yesterday's events advanced their cause. The evidence was presented to viewers on television but not to the man making the decision. It was hardly fair on anyone involved."Clearly, after the fuss here in Sydney, the ICC will have to sit up and take notice. Strong voices within the game such as Richie Benaud and Geoffrey Boycott have been calling for years for more technology to be used in cricket. Perhaps the right time is now.

Worng umpiring hurts India

Sydney: Poor umpiring decisions on Day one of the Sydney Test spoiled India’s first day efforts with as many as 4 legitimate decisions going against the visitors. Steve Bucknor and Marc Benson, the two field umpires were the main culprits as far as India was concerned but their misery was compounded when the third umpire Bruce Oxenford too joined his errant colleagues.Indian bowlers had Australia reeling at 134-6, but thanks to Bucknor and Benson, the hosts took the reprieve with both hands and cantered on to a 350 plus score at the end of day’s play.The dangerous Andrew Symonds was let off thrice by the umpires; he went on to resurrect Australian first innings and give them a solid first innings score which didn’t look possible at one point of time. The first time when he got away was when he was on 30, umpire Steve Bucknor turned down an appeal for caught behind by MS Dhoni off Ishant Sharma who looked shocked at the decision and could well find himself in the dock for showing disapproval with umpire’s decision. Australia was then at 193-6.The second time, Symonds was on 48 when Dhoni stumped him off Anil Kumble’s delivery. Bucnor referred it to the third umpire. TV replays clearly showed that Symond’s feet were in the air when the bails were removed and there was just a shadow of it falling on the crease. Third umpire Oxenford, took time to decide but then the Aussie gave the benefit of doubt to the batsman.The third time, Symonds was on 106 when he was trapped leg before, the ball hitting middle and leg stump but Benson decided otherwise.Earlier, Australian skipper Ricky Ponting edged one to MS Dhoni when on 17 off a Sourav Ganguly delivery. Mark Benson didn’t think so. However when Ponting was batting on 55 he was adjudged leg before by Benson though there was a thick inside edge, the ball deflecting off his pad. The Ausie skipper couldn’t believe the decision and even stood his ground for a few moments.No doubt, the Indian team will be thinking that the ghosts of umpiring from its 2004 tour Down Under were returning with full vengeance.Sachin Tendulkar suffered from a Steve Bucknor’s blooper on the last tour in 2004 when the Jamaican gave him a leg before decision to Jason Gillespie in the first Test in Brisbane. The ball was going down leg side by miles but the shocked master blaster had to return to the dressing room without opening his account. That rattled the maestro to the extent that he had a mid series dry patch till he came back strongly in the last Test match on the same ground in Sydney.The skipper of the Indian team at that time-Sourav Ganguly in his captain’s report had given a big “zero” to Bucknor after the first Test match. It will not be surprising that the Jamacian will get the same rating from skipper Anil Kumble at the end of the Sydney Test.

Andrew Symonds roars his delight at scoring his second Test

The two Singhs - RP and Harbhajan - emerged unlikely heroes as India sparked a rare Australian collapse on the first day of the second Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Wednesday.RP Singh sizzled with the wickets of Phil Jaques, Matthew Hayden, Michael Hussey and Adam Gilchrist, while Harbhajan Singh extracted vicious turn to remove Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke to have the world champions on the mat.But an unbeaten 80-run partnership for the seventh wicket between Andrew Symonds and Brad Hogg enabled them to restore order in their innings after Australia were on the verge of being skittled out under 200. Instead, they finished the second session on 214-6, still going at over four runs an over.Captain Ricky Ponting chose to bat on a typically brown strip at the SCG, but India's fast bowling duo of RP and Ishant Sharma got lively movement from the wicket to trouble them early.RP Singh ended opener Phil Jaques' run of six straight 50-plus scores when the left-hander was out caught behind for a duck in the third over of play, before inducing an outside edge off Hayden that flew straight to Sachin Tendulkar, reducing the Australians to 27-2.And although there was enough from both sides to fill TV space, it was another case of decisions gone awry and chances abegging that dominated the replays.A Sourav Ganguly delivery appeared to have taken some wood of Ponting's bat on its way to MS Dhoni down the leg side, which was followed by a missed stumping opportunity off the same batsman. The Australian captain was given out when he edged it on to his pads, and more followed when a caught behind shout went unheard.Australia retained their eleven that trounced Anil Kumble's side in the Boxing Day Test, while Zaheer Khan missed the cut due to a recurring ankle problem. Ishant Sharma was given the nod. The Indian opening combination remained unchanged after drawing criticism over their performance in the first Test.Australia won the first Test of the series at the MCG by 337 runs to lead the four-match series 1-0.

Teams:

Australia: Ricky Ponting (captain), Adam Gilchrist, Michael Clarke, Andrew Symonds, Matthew Hayden, Michael Hussey, Phil Jaques, Brad Hogg, Mitchell Johnson, Stuart Clark, Brett Lee.

India: Anil Kumble (captain), Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, VVS Laxman, Yuvraj Singh, Ishant Sharma, RP Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Wasim Jaffer.

Think positive, play freely: Kumble to team

Sydney: Skipper Anil Kumble once again stressed the need for his batsmen to break the shackles and play freely as India geared up to avenge the Melbourne humiliation by the Australians in the second cricket Test at the SCG."It's very important to get partnerships. When we had that 60-70 run stand (between Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly) it was fine. When we have a partnership, it's important to go on and make a big score," said Kumble looking ahead at the second Test against Ricky Ponting's men after losing the four-match series opener by 337 runs.Kumble once again called on his batsmen to lift their attitude. He urged them to relax and bat their natural way."I thought our batters were very uptight in Melbourne. They needed to play their natural game," he said.Speculation is rife that India could be investing in Virender Sehwag in this game but Kumble chose to sidestep the matter."He is an attacking option. Before he lost form and was made to sit out, he was a very important member of the side. He does bring in that carefree attitude into the team," he said.Kumble said Sehwag has looked in touch in the nets but stopped short of revealing anything about the final composition for the Sydney Test.

Shane Bond all set to join ICL: report

Melbourne: Tearaway fast bowler Shane Bond is all set to join the Indian Cricket League, a development that has put New Zealand Cricket in a dilemma.According to a report in The Australian, NZC is under pressure from BCCI to ban six players who played in the inaugural Twenty20 tournament at Panchkula and now, with Bond joining the rebel ICL, it might have to do the same with the pacer.The daily claimed if banned, Bond would hit back by suing NZC for restraint of trade and that puts the Board in an awkward situation.Chief Executive of the Federation of International Cricketers Association Tim May supported the players' right to earn a living, irrespective of whether it's a board-backed tournament or not."With New Zealand and these other poorly paid countries, it's incredibly enticing at the end of their career, or even in the middle, to look after themselves," May said. "You may well see more ICL-contracted players signed up. So what are we going to do, have a New Zealand second eleven out there? Is it in New Zealand's national interest to put out a half-baked team?" he asked."Is it in world cricket's interest? These are the questions people really need to sit down and think about. "And there is also the rights of the players to ply their trade. We want to encourage people to play cricket professionally, don't we? It's not necessarily a bad thing, this ICL," he said.NZC has already lost Craig McMillan, Hamish Marshall and Daryl Tuffey to ICL.