***Official*** India in Australia

[JJJ]

Shocking behaviour from India to suspend the series in my opinion.

They've used two reasons and combined them; Harbhajan's ban, and umpiring decisions going against them.

To be fair, I can't comment on the ban, as I and the rest of us don't know what was said. However, the decisions aspects is pathetic, everyone gets decisions go against them.

 

[silentstriker]

To be honest, Lee does have a cute tush.

 

[taitmachine]

Imagine the reaction if he got a further ban for ***ual harrassment

 

[shortpitched713]

Shocking behaviour from India to suspend the series in my opinion.

I don't think anything like that has been confirmed yet.

 

[JJJ]

I don't think anything like that has been confirmed yet.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/7174122.stm

 

[armchairumpire]

To put the tour in jeopardy is a really unfortunate development in this saga. Why should the cricket paying public have to wear this? I went to 2 days of the Test and witnessed some fantastic bowling and batting from both sides.

If the ICC had handled the 'monkey' issue in India when it first was raised last year then this would not be happening now.

And for the record - I have always respected Peter Roebuck but I think his latest outburst on the front page of the Sydney Morning Herald to sack Ponting is completely out of line and pours petrol on an already flammable situation. However, in saying that I do think that Cricket Australia should rethink their 'win at all costs' strategy. It takes me back to the 'ugly Australians' tag of the Chappell era.

 

[funnygirl]

This is a cricket forum not a politics forum.
Every one harping on about Australia.

No one seems to be concerned with India's misdemeanours....

1) Yuraj Singh dissent, even though he was acquitted was hardly in the spirit of the game

He should have punished ,so was clarke.

2)

Kumble publicly attacked the umpiring and called for the umpires to be removed. Hardly the model of sportmanship, how far can he go publicly before he gets charged with dissent or calling the game into disrepute? (Privately and through official channels say stuff but to say it publicly! In the AFL players and coaches would have been suspended for that.)

was it Kumble or BCCI asked ?
3)

No 11 conveniently walks out with 2 right handed gloves?

Brett Lee took more than 3minutes to reach .

4) Has anybody worked out the over-rate for both teams, has any action followed that? How can a team with two spinners not keep up with overrates?

Punishment worthy .

5)

Harbajhan patting Lee's rear end. If I did that at work I get a warning for harrassment.

He deserved a warning for that .

6) Threatening to quit series

Quite childish .But is there any way to protest a one sided biased hearing and ban.


7

) Appearing to blame Australia for bad umpiring, Bucknor is the most senior umpire in world cricket. (If they want good umpiring maybe they could call for Taufel, I'm sure the Aussie wouldn't mind

.)

Tauffel would have been much better .I agree that.

 

[SJS]

To put the tour in jeopardy is a really unfortunate development in this saga. Why should the cricket paying public have to wear this? I went to 2 days of the Test and witnessed some fantastic bowling and batting from both sides.

If the ICC had handled the 'monkey' issue in India when it first was raised last year then this would not be happening now.

And for the record - I have always respected Peter Roebuck but I think his latest outburst on the front page of the Sydney Morning Herald to sack Ponting is completely out of line and pours petrol on an already flammable situation. However, in saying that I do think that Cricket Australia should rethink their 'win at all costs' strategy. It takes me back to the 'ugly Australians' tag of the Chappell era.

While Roebuck's latest article is a bit over the top, he is not alone in condemnation of Ponting and the overall attitude of some Australian players. The Australian media is full of articles in that vein. In fact I find more 'sensible' articles in the Aussie media from respectable writers than in the Indian press where their is a lot of rhetoric which always dilutes the arguments as Roebuck has unfortunately done in this last one.

 

[Malleeboy]

You're right...this'll make it so much better

I'm happy to say that the aussie's aren't blameless in the mess, but everyone seems to have forgotten that India hardly played with immaculate manners.

People complained that Darryl Hair was to much a stickler for exactly following the rules and laws and not bending to accomodate the players. So after several years of allowing flexible rulings and bending not to offend the players, they have ended up disrespecting the umpires. I personally can't help think that this all comes back to the Hair problem and the way it was handled. Teams now know that if the umpires or match ref does something they don't like they can publicly complain, then go to their board and the ICC will gutlessly bend over. (Even if Hair may have deserved to be removed for what did, the way he was done over publicly and the ICC gormless handling of it all has vastly diminished umpire/refs authority.

 

[silentstriker]

Umpiring did India in

 

[jeevan]

I'm happy to say that the aussie's aren't blameless in the mess, but everyone seems to have forgotten that India hardly played with immaculate manners.

People complained that Darryl Hair was to much a stickler for exactly following the rules and laws and not bending to accomodate the players. So after several years of allowing flexible rulings and bending not to offend the players, they have ended up disrespecting the umpires. I personally can't help think that this all comes back to the Hair problem and the way it was handled. Teams now know that if the umpires or match ref does something they don't like they can publicly complain, then go to their board and the ICC will gutlessly bend over. (Even if Hair may have deserved to be removed for what did, the way he was done over publicly and the ICC gormless handling of it all has vastly diminished umpire/refs authority.

What does Darrell Hair got to do with this? And how does giving more authority to the very obviously incompetent Bucknor and Benson make any thing better.

For crying out loud, Mr Benson didnt even use the authority to refer to other umpires he has in giving Ganguly out. Took instructions from Ponting.

 

[Malleeboy]

jeevan,

India are attempting to get umpires banned/removed because they are unhappy with them. That is the link to the Hair situation. Pakistan unhappy with Hair so they threaten match/series.. India unhappy with Bucknor, so they threaten to end series. Why do India think this action will work, surely because the Hair incidents shows that the ICC is gormless, so it is worth a try. Bucknor is the senior umpire in the ICC umpire list, he deserves to be repsected not snipped at because he had a bad game. Unless the ICC publicly back the umpires, players will show more and more disrespect.

 

[NJANJA]

The SMH must sack Roebuck immediately. And not for his condemnation of Ponting, which is for the most part justified. For this:

"Harbhajan Singh can be an irritating young man but he is head of a family and responsible for raising nine people. And all the Australian elders want to do is to hunt him from the game. Australian fieldsmen fire insults from the corners of their mouths, an intemperate Sikh warrior overreacts and his rudeness is seized upon. It might impress barrack room lawyers."

This is, by far, the most shameful and disgusting instance of racism in this entire sorry saga. Here Roebuck reduces Harbhajan Singh to an unthinking animal who is, from moment to moment, at the mercy of his Sikh faith, its warrior heritage and an intemperance which Roebuck apparently believes afflicts the character of all Sikhs. This is a special kind of dehumanisation practised almost exclusively by well-to-do white men against players from the "colonies". The passage speaks volumes for Roebuck's character. He is a genuine disgrace.

 

[taitmachine]

Getting back to cricket:

There were a number of players who I thought failed badly and their spot in the team is in danger:

India:
Jaffer - a lot of hype about him but failed times now, is he worth persisting? Maybe given the series is dead but Sehwag would be interesting & may handle Perth better.
Dravid - still fighting leave him alone & he will find form
Yuvraj - Again a lot of hype but must be dropped! His fielding was poor when he is supposed to be the best fielder, showed nothing with bat.
Sharma - thought he was OK still raw though worth a try at Perth
Dhoni - time to give Karthik a go & see what hes got

I would like to see Pathan fit in somewhere - not sure why he has not been sighted as I rate him - get rid of Yuvraj for him.

Australia
Hogg - batted fantastic but just not dangerous enough with the ball. Bring Tait in to replace (yes i am biased)
Johnson - I just do not see him being dangerous enough. He has had very little effect. Although he brings variety he needs to make the batsmen play more. Perth wicket will save him & will stay in but if they choose to keep Hogg replace him with Tait
Clarke - don't shoot me for this but he batted terribly and should be put on notice. Both dismissals were awful. His bowling saved the game for us and for him, but if he bats like that again I will be screaming bring back Hodgy or maybe David Hussey.

 

[Johnners]

While Roebuck's latest article is a bit over the top, he is not alone in condemnation of Ponting and the overall attitude of some Australian players. The Australian media is full of articles in that vein. In fact I find more 'sensible' articles in the Aussie media from respectable writers than in the Indian press where their is a lot of rhetoric which always dilutes the arguments as Roebuck has unfortunately done in this last one.

I don't think you'll find many people who will disagree that at times Ponting & the Australian team can be over the top in regards to their poor attitude. However I simply can't help but think that it's been completely overblown in this particular instance. What has the team done in this test match (Ponting snapping at the reporter aside) that has been any different to the previous 15 in their streak, to warrant this level of criticism? If people want to talk about excessive appealing, I suggest they open their eyes because Australia isn't the only team guilty of it.

In the case of Ponting putting his finger up re: the Ganguly catch, I'm struggling to fathom what exactly he's done wrong? I'm willing to take his & Clarkes word that they genuinely beleived it was a fair catch. I guess he could've just said "yes" or nodded his head, but it would've made no difference to the final outcome, which came down to the decision of Umpire Bension, and he ruled it out. He had the option to go to the 3rd umpire, and didn't, so if you want to blame someone for it, blame Benson.

 

[shortpitched713]

However, in saying that I do think that Cricket Australia should rethink their 'win at all costs' strategy.

About as likely to happen though as a leopard growing a horn.

 

[Malleeboy]

Are any of injuries serious enough to miss next test, (I'm thinking of Symonds and Hayden)?

Wouldn't India have dropped Harbajhan for a 3rd pace bowler in Perth anyway?

 

[GotSpin]

What you gonna do when **** hits the fan?
Are you gonna stand and fight like a man?
Will you be as hard as you say you are?
Or you gonna run and go get your bodyguard?
I said What you gonna do when **** hits the fan?
Are you gonna stand and fight like a man?
And show us you're as hard as you say you are?
Or you gonna run and go get your bodyguard?

 

[shortpitched713]

A premature end to this tour would be so, so, so, so, so unfortunate. Especially considering the kind of precedent it would set.

 

[taitmachine]

Are any of injuries serious enough to miss next test, (I'm thinking of Symonds and Hayden)?

Wouldn't India have dropped Harbajhan for a 3rd pace bowler in Perth anyway?

I doubt they have a pace bowler of sufficient quality to replace him. Having said that 2 spinners at Perth is probably not the best situation. Comes down to whether you pick your best bowlers or the best bowlers for the conditions.

Too early to say on the injuries. Symonds seems to always come up OK after his ankle. There may be a query over Hayden. Who would replace him? I would think they would slot Rogers straight as its Perth.