Symmo must have credible witness

SYDNEY: Andrew Symonds’ allegation of racism against Harbhajan Singh has cast a shadow over a Test, which has otherwise riveted a fairly packed Sydney Cricket Ground and television audiences in five continents for four days. After the final day’s play on Sunday, match referee, Mike Procter will hear the case and pronounce judgement on it.

It’s a sensitive issue, which shouldn’t be taken lightly. At the same time, it’s better to wait for the verdict, than speculate on it.

For decades, Australian players, especially their bowlers, were under the misguidedly notion that crude abuse of opponents — euphemistically called “sledging” — was acceptable behaviour on a cricket field. The English, peculiarly, went along with this. All, including Indians, were deluged with invectives, let alone comments to distract a batsman’s concentration, for decades.

While his attempted walkout at Melbourne in 1981 — to which this correspondent was an eye-witness — was indefensible, Sunil Gavaskar’s action was provoked not by the perceived injustice of an lbw decision, but Dennis Lillee’s alleged expletives at the Indian’s dissent.

India’s new breed of cricketers is clearly willing to take the insults and pressure tactics lying down since turning the tables on the Australians in 2001. Harbhajan, needless to mention, was the terminator in this series; and it initiated a rivalry between him and Aussies, which has persisted since.

But what really aggravated matters was the unenlightened, racial abuse of Symonds in the stands during a couple of one-day internationals in India in the autumn.

This Queenslander, a half-indigenous Australian, was, unsurprisingly, deeply offended. He has now made a serious accusation against Harbhajan.

However, to prove his case, Symonds has surely got to produce a credible witness to support him. The umpires heard nothing; and Sachin Tendulkar, highly respected, has already gone on record to reject Symonds’ claim.

It is not inconceivable that the latter will fall back on either captain, Ricky Ponting or fellow Queenslander, Mathew Hayden to endorse him.

It would, then, be up to Procter to assess the veracity of Symonds’ charge and weigh this against Harbhajan’s defence, where he should be able to bank on Tendulkar.

If Harbhajan is found guilty, he could be banned for up to four Tests. On the other hand, if Symonds is unable to sustain his grievance, it is hoped the Australians will be sporting enough to apologies to Harbhajan and not drag the issue into the hands of lawyers — for which there is a provision under the International Cricket Council’s Code of Conduct. Cricket is best kept out of the legal domain.