India lost the test and Bhajji banned for 3 matches! Well, that doesn't disappoint Indian cricket fans, it never was a fair game, the Aussies had 14 players on the ground in response to 11 Indians. The extra three were umpires of course. This was an unusual match, teams and fans have been outraged by behaviour of officials earlier too and in various games but this test match stands out because the Indian teams and fans have been left more than outraged. When Symonds was declared not out by the third umpire and he went on to score a ton and a half Indians felt wronged but nonetheless accepted it as something natural and unintentional. But things didn't look that unbiased when Dravid and Ganguly were declared out wrongly.Both the batsmen had the calibre to win the game or at least draw it but it seemed the umpires had decided on whose favor the game should go. It is really intriguing why the umpire thought that Dravid was out when the ball was missing the bat by a mile. However, Ganguly's dismissal was just too gross, Clarke had grounded the ball but umpire Benson thought Ricky Ponting's word was enough and the third umpire shouldn'tbe consulted. Those two dismissals cost India the match and allowed Australia to create a record of 16 consecutive wins but this could and should be the turning point of world cricket. 10 wrong umpiring decisions against India cost the match, the fans and cricket lovers were outraged but then came the match referee's decision to ban Harbhajan for 3 tests on charges of racism! This goes well beyond outrage... Everyone saw Symonds and Bhajji exchanging words on the field but for some peculiar reason only Bhajji was charged and Symonds wasn't even charged. Later on, during the hearing the match referee held Bhajji guilty even though there were no evidences at all. Mike Proctor is convinced of Harbhajan's guilt because Ponting and Hayden say so, Sachin's testimony doesn't count. Now all of us know how truthful the Aussies especially their skipper had been during the match to take their word as the truth and punish Harbhajan. Maybe Bhajji did call Symonds a "monkey" but I dont see how it can be construed as a racist remark. The Aussies had been provoking Bhajji since a long time, what Hayden told him back in India was far more racist and malicious, there was one time when he just got worked up but to amount it to racism is plainly stupid. From the start to finish this test match was a fiasco and ten wrong decisions against one team and banning of a player cannot be unintentional and fair. If indeed the decisions were unbiased how would do you explain Steve Bucknor's maximum wrong decisions having costed India heavily ? Surely, the match officials must be aware of the kind of sledging the Aussies do. How can they then take Ponting's word and first wrongly declare a key Indian batsman out and then convict another on charges of racial slurring ? However, the most vital question is why are teams from the Indian subcontinent are always on the recieving end when it comes to ICC rules or erroneous umpire decisions? I am sure Steve Bucknor will go the same way as Darell Hair did after that ignonimous decision against Pakistan but team,BCCI and fans from the subcontinent need to take steps so that their team members are not unduly victimised. After all, cricket has ceased being an English sport.
Update:
Sharing a mail I recieved.
After watching the test match, I feel some rules have to be incorporated by ICC to give the other teams a perfect clarification
(1) Ricky Ponting – (THE TRULY GENUINE CRICKETER OF THE CRICKET ERA AND WHOSE INTEGRITY SHOULD NOT BE DOUBTED ) should be considered as the FOURTH UMPIRE. As per the new rules, FOURTH UMPIRE decision is final and will over ride any decisions taken by any other umpires. ON-FIELD umpires can seek the assistance of RICKY PONTING even if he is not on the field. This rule is to be made, so that every team should understand the importance of the FOURTH UMPIRE.
(2) While AUSTRALIAN TEAM is bowling, If the ball flies anywhere close to the AUSTRALIAN FIELDER(WITHIN 5 metre distance), the batsman is to be considered OUT irrelevant of whether the catch was taken cleanly or grassed. Any decision for further clarification should be seeked from the FOURTH UMPIRE. This is made to ensure that the cricket is played with SPORTIVE SPIRIT by all the teams.
(3) While BATTING, AUSTRALIAN players will wait for the ON-FIELD UMPIRE decisions only (even if the catch goes to the FIFTH SLIP as the ball might not have touched the bat). Each AUSTRALIAN batsman has to be out FOUR TIMES (minimum) before he can return to the pavilion. In case of THE CRICKETER WITH INTEGRITY, this can be higher.
(4) UMPIRES should consider a huge bonus if an AUSTRALIAN player scores a century. Any wrong decisions can be ignored as they will be paid huge bonus and will receive the backing of the AUSTRALIAN team and board.
(5) All AUSTRALIAN players are eligible to keep commenting about all players on the field and the OPPONENT TEAM should never comment as they will be spoiling the spirit of the AUSTRALIAN team. Any comments made in any other language are to be considered as RACIALISM only.
(6) MATCH REFREE decisions will be taken purely on the AUSTRALIAN TEAM advices only. Player views from the other teams decisions will not be considered for hearing. MATCH REFREES are to be given huge bonus if this rule is implemented.
(7) NO VISITING TEAM should plan to win in AUSTRALIA. This is to ensure that the sportive spirit of CRICKET is maintained.
(8) THE MOST IMPORTANT RULE : If any bowler gets RICKY PONTING - "THE UNDISPUTED CRICKETER WITH INTEGTIRY IN THE GAME OF CRICKET" more than twice in a series, he will be banned for the REST OF THE SERIES. This is to ensure that the best batsman/Captain will be played to break records and create history in the game of CRICKET.
These rules will clarify better to the all the teams VISITING AUSTRALIA.
