Firstly, the Australian team need to take a good, long look at how they conduct themselves on the field. Their sledging is very borderline and they appeal far too much. It is a gentleman's game after all. MUCH room for improvement!
India are not the innocent lambs either. Sreesanth was a total goose in the one day series. Harbhajan himself dishes it out - and his carry on after his dismissal of Ponting was not exactly humble.
If he called Symonds a Monkey after what happened in India then three games is consistent with Lehmann and Gibbs.
The idea that 'while he deserves to be listened to, his word alone has no evidentiary value' is misconceived in law and in common sense. It is direct, admissable evidence. Only Procter heard all the evidence and was able to assess the witnesses and their demeanour. In Australia we listen to ALL the evidence and make a decision. That is why, in the end, Haneef was given the benefit of the doubt AND it was upheld on appeal in a canter. Procter is not Australian anyhow.
India is entitled to appeal and must get a full and proper hearing. But the way they snipe at Procter and the decision is inappropriate.
IF the BCCI abandon the tour if the appeal fails then that is an absolute disgrace. Especially after its less than active response in India to the 'monkey' issue - its pious mouthings about racism must sound somewhat hollow to Symonds, who took a lot on the chin in India.
RE:Everybody Needs to Take a Few Deep Breaths and RELAX
by Mahesh Jagga on Jan 08, 2008 06:25 PM Permalink
"If Harbhajan called Symonds Monkey, three games is consistant with Lehmann and Gibbs" Agreed. No one other than Harbhajan and Symonds knows that and only person within earshot was Sachin. How did Proctor find the truth?
Secondly, if you remember Rashid Latif was banned for claiming a catch which was actually grassed. Here Ponting appealed for Dhoni's catch after not only grassing it but also balancing himself with the help of ball touching the ground. A ban for five matches is consistant with Latif?
RE:Everybody Needs to Take a Few Deep Breaths and RELAX
by raj on Jan 08, 2008 06:43 PM Permalink
true. that should be highlighted, he was a brown skinned asian.
RE:Everybody Needs to Take a Few Deep Breaths and RELAX
by Adnan on Jan 08, 2008 06:26 PM Permalink
Todd Grant only an Indian can understand a fellow Indian.
I understand that you have no idea how it fells to be treated the way Umpires Match referee ICC an ill-spirited Australian team have done to the Indian cricket team YOU CANNOT UNDERSTAND! YOU ARE NOT AN INDIAN!
RE:Everybody Needs to Take a Few Deep Breaths and RELAX
by Todd Grant on Jan 08, 2008 06:54 PM Permalink
Having lived in Japan - which is a great country but very monocultural in places, I can tell you I have lived as a racial minority and have been subjected to racism and discrimination and been pretty powerless to do anything about it. So, whilst it is true that I am not an Indian, and perhaps I cannot understand I am not totally without perspective.
But, with respect, I think saying someone cannot understand because of their race or nationality is a pretty poor argument...
RE:Everybody Needs to Take a Few Deep Breaths and RELAX
by on Jan 08, 2008 06:33 PM Permalink
percecution complex "YOU CANNOT UNDERSTAND! YOU ARE NOT AN INDIAN!"
RE:Everybody Needs to Take a Few Deep Breaths and RELAX
by Adnan on Jan 08, 2008 06:39 PM Permalink
INDIANS ARE NOT A RACE. THEY ARE "CITIZENS OF A COUNTRY"...Mr. On.. you need some basic lessons.
RE:Everybody Needs to Take a Few Deep Breaths and RELAX
by on Jan 08, 2008 06:57 PM Permalink
Oh please. Leave it out. You sound like you are 5 years old.
RE:Everybody Needs to Take a Few Deep Breaths and RELAX
by raj on Jan 08, 2008 06:30 PM Permalink
todd, india only has suspended the tour. we dont care about your process. we care about the ICC process. if lehmann was nailed for evidence. it should be the same with indians. i will take sachin's word rather than "creative" people like ponting who can lie in front of a camera. so i will feel bhajjie is hard done
RE:RE:Everybody Needs to Take a Few Deep Breaths and RELAX
by Todd Grant on Jan 08, 2008 06:43 PM Permalink
Raj, you might be right about Harbhajan being hard done by. Maybe the ICC process was wrong. But Procter had to assess the evidence and, presumably, he did to the best of his ability. If he made an error, then it is important to correct it on appeal.
I know they have only suspended the tour, but there is a hint of uncertainty and the BCCI is now not covering itself in glory in how it has attacked the decision - it could have been handled with more dignity and Procter does deserve better. The BCCI is, to use a football term, 'playing the man and not the ball' at the moment. I hope the BCCI calms down its attacks and rhetoric and lets the appeal process go through. Whilst the ICC is often about as useful as 'tits on a bull' one would hope they would handle this appeal carefully and appropriately.
I agree that I'm not sure how Procter would find against Harbhajan beyond reasonable doubt if it was Symonds word against Harbhajan and Tendulkar - assuming Ponting's second hand evidence was ignored. But, the point is, we weren't there so we don't know exactly what the actual evidence was.
