By IANS
Sydney : Andrew Symonds has accused Harbhajan Singh of racial abuse, an allegation that might sour the relationship between the two teams in the ongoing cricket tour. The two have had a running battle since Australia toured India for a one-day series last October.
Harbhajan has been charged under Level 3 of the International Cricket Council’s Code of Conduct following the exchange with Symonds in an incident that took place Friday during the second Test between India and Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
The charge was laid by match umpires Mark Benson and Steve Bucknor after close of play on day three of the match following a complaint they received from Australia captain Ricky Ponting.
Ponting lodged the complaint after the 116th over in India’s first innings after Harbhajan is alleged to have made a comment directed at Symonds.
The alleged offence falls under 3.3 of the ICC Code of Conduct which refers to players or team officials “using language or gestures that offends, insults, humiliates, intimidates, threatens, disparages or vilifies another person on the basis of that person’s race, religion, gender, colour, descent, or national or ethic origin”.
If Harbhajan is found guilty, he could be ruled out for the rest of the series. He could face a ban of between two and four Test matches or between four and eight one-day internationals.
Though the exact comments are not known, the Indian team’s media manager M.V. Sridhar confirmed that a “hearing” is scheduled for Saturday.
Under the terms of the code of conduct, a hearing must take place within 36 hours of the charge being lodged and match referee Mike Procter is scheduled to conduct the hearing after the close of play on day four.
When Harbhajan and Symonds were said to have exchanged words, only Sachin Tendulkar and Matthew Hayden were close by and umpire Benson intervened to calm the two down.
Tendulkar played down the incident and said: “I don’t think it was an issue, a couple of lines exchanged here and there that keep happening virtually every day.
“I don’t think it’s that big an issue as far as I am concerned. As long as the game moves on and the players don’t cross the limits, it’s fine. It’s good for the spectators. Sometimes you also indulge in light-hearted banter. It’s sometimes funny.”
Tendulkar claimed Harbhajan had said: ‘You seem to be very friendly with our bowlers. Are you trying to be friends with me now? I am a bowler as well.’ “It was just one of those things,” Tendulkar said.
Incidentally both Symonds and Harbhajan have put up a great performance in this Test. Symonds scored 162 not out and Harbhajan made 63 besides taking two wickets in Australia’s first innings.