***Official*** India in Australia

[silentstriker]

In any case, I agree the Indians are forward in this in the most immature manner possible. If you think the hearing was unfair, spell out your reasons why, and present them to the ICC meeting. And then you can make changes going forward. There is no reason for this type of reaction - what exactly are they trying to accomplish? How do they see the end game here? OK, they can cancel the tour - but then what? It means nothing, and the best way to move forward is to fix any problems they may have with the current system.

I was rallying against the umpiring decision as much as anyone, but this is going way over the top. It's not the end of the world. Yes, they cost you a match but you should do what you want at the ICC and push for changes in the way Tests are umpired instead of throwing a hissy fit as they are now. This is getting to be ridiculous. If BCCI do not push with everything they have and get immediate and significant changes in umpiring (in terms of referrels, technology, increase in elite umpires, whatever), then they have no right to complain and should just shut up.

Still stand by this though.

 

[awesam1981]

re

Give it up already. It's racist, and it's definitely offensive to Symonds as seen during the ODI series.

Firstly, how did they come up with the verdict that Harbhajan is guilty. What was the evidence?

I do not want to represent India. But may be there is an issue of cultural differences here. Having lived in Australia for over 4 years I cant digest on how everyone thinks "Monkey" is racist. So, how is team India to digest that this is racist , IF it was said in the first place!
In India I used the word to tease anyone[fellow Indians], but I am not racist.

*Please Private Message me if this is too sensitive to be discused here.

Quote "Symonds did not get taunted with monkey calls because he is black. Countless West Indian teams have passed through India without hint of abuse. And black members of South African and England teams have never been singled out"
Source - *********

 

[sideshowtim]

Additional bad news is that the ICC are apparently standing firmly behind Bucknor, stating that he will definitely be umpiring at Perth. This is a really, really bad move. There are very mixed opinions in Australia regarding the whole racism affair, but nearly all our press concedes that India got a terrible dudding from the umpires, and that Bucknor MUST be removed.

I think it's best for everyone, Bucknor included, that he steps aside for the Perth Test. Imagine the kind of pressure that poor man is going to be under...It'll be ridiculous. It's a recipe for more blunders.

 

[Slow Love™]

Obviously I've never been a Ponting fan, but he really does show an utter lack of class at times. No doubt that journo asked a rude question, but his insistence that the guy had no right to be standing there was ridiculous.

And aside from what pasag already mentioned, that full page pic of him on the Herald Sun rutting his helmet in orgasmic frenzy had me both cringing and wondering - whose bloody helmet was that?

 

[Agent TBY]

Firstly, how did they come up with the verdict that Harbhajan is guilty. What was the evidence?

I think the verdict is ridiculous too, from the facts that we've gathered.

However, there's no doubt that the usage of the word "monkey" is racist and Harbhajan is unforgivable if he did say it.

Proper protocol must be maintained at all times, and delivering a verdict based purely on one team's testimonies is setting a dangerous precedent (If it hadn't been set already during the Lehmann banning. Lehmann did come out and say he said it, and apologised, so he clearly admitted his guilt, which Harbhajan has not).

 

[Slow Love™]

 

[duffer]

I think it's best for everyone, Bucknor included, that he steps aside for the Perth Test. Imagine the kind of pressure that poor man is going to be under...It'll be ridiculous. It's a recipe for more blunders.

Both umpires in the next match are going to be fed to the sharks IMO. Asad Rauf is an average umpire at best, and even if we do put this saga behind us before the match I can see things blowing up again in Perth.

 

[sideshowtim]

Legend.

 

[Nate]

I do not want to represent India. But may be there is an issue of cultural differences here. Having lived in Australia for over 4 years I cant digest on how everyone thinks "Monkey" is racist. So, how is team India to digest that this is racist , IF it was said in the first place!
In India I used the word to tease anyone[fellow Indians], but I am not racist.

*Please Private Message me if this is too sensitive to be discused here.

Try telling the poor Bengalis that.

In the ODI series in India, it was made clear that calling him a monkey was a racial slur. If Harbhajan has called Symonds a monkey in this Test, there is little-to-no doubt it was meant in a racist sense.

"Monkey" has been used as a derogatory term towards a person of African decent.

And for those who know Clerks II, I gave a stiffled laugh.

furthermore, a "porch monkey" is an extension meaning "a lazy black person."

You will also find that there are no private messages on CricketWeb.

 

[Jono]

LOL @ some of the user comments on the Herald Sun page.

Let's just say The Herald Sun are definitely achieving the target audience it aims for.

 

[Anil]

why ponting should be banned

prem panicker throws in a new twist...

 

[Evermind]

Both umpires in the next match are going to be fed to the sharks IMO. Asad Rauf is an average umpire at best, and even if we do put this saga behind us before the match I can see things blowing up again in Perth.

Asad Rauf, from what I remember, is a pretty dreadful umpire.

 

[sideshowtim]

why ponting should be banned

prem panicker throws in a new twist...

Hahahahahaahahahahahahahahahahahaha. Does that idiot actually think Ponting's catch should earn him a ban? Oh my...Shows the ridiculous level to which some are reacting here.

When it was taken originally, no one had any qualms with the catch whatsoever, it was only really as the match was drawing to a close that someone bought it up...I'm sorry, but catches like that are out, and there has been a precedent set that they are out for many, many years despite what the letter of the law says. At no point did Ponting not look in control of that ball.

 

[Slow Love™]

why ponting should be banned

prem panicker throws in a new twist...

Could you seriously compare Latif's effort to Ponting's though?

I've seen footage of Rashid's, and he literally drops the ball and picks it up (it's probably one of the worst, if not THE worst example of a falsely claimed catch that I've ever seen).

(And hi, mate, sorry, I didn't get back to your greeting earlier.)

 

[duffer]

Asad Rauf, from what I remember, is a pretty dreadful umpire.

I was being kind to him. Him and Bucknor flying into this ****storm at Perth will ensure that this farce has legs, no matter how succesful the respective sides are at burying the hatchet.

 

[sideshowtim]

Could you seriously compare Latif's effort to Ponting's though?

No, you can't, and from that point, the article loses all credibility.

 

[Agent TBY]

**** me, the media are being dire about this whole affair.

Not like they weren't poor earlier, but yeah.

 

[awesam1981]

Re

Try telling the poor Bengalis that.

In the ODI series in India, it was made clear that calling him a monkey was a racial slur. If Harbhajan has called Symonds a monkey in this Test, there is little-to-no doubt it was meant in a racist sense.



And for those who know Clerks II, I gave a stiffled laugh.



You will also find that there are no private messages on CricketWeb.

Poor Bengalis ?! What do you mean when you say that? You do know the meaning of racist dont you ?

Coming back to the topic, there are thousands of other meanings to the word "Monkey". You just chose those meanings that suited you.

'Symonds did not get taunted with monkey calls because he is black. Countless West Indian teams have passed through India without hint of abuse. And black members of South African and England teams have never been singled out'

 

[Ikki]

So who has been worse? The umpires or the media? Or is it one of those 'chicken and egg' things?

 

[duffer]

**** me, the media are being dire about this whole affair.

Not like they weren't poor earlier, but yeah.

After all the damp squib series we've had here in recent memory, plus with no Aussies that we can realistically hype up for the tennis season this type of drama is like a gift from god to the media here. Can't blame them for lappinng it up when the only other competition for headlines is the A-League.