Australia Vs. India Test Series Thread

[carlton]

Firstly, please don't accuse me or even imply that I'm racist or condoning racism.

We're all applying our own moral systems here, rather than considering the Indian's.

I'm considering the person who said it (if he said it), along with the abuse the Aussies dish out. Apparently, '*******' is just as offensive to Indians and 'monkey' isn't an offensive term in India - they're basically calling you ugly and it's aimed at other Asians as well.

All I'm saying, is that this should have been sorted out in the dressing room. You can tell if someone's not aware of the offense they've caused, and the point is the Australians have been just offensive in Indian's Moral System. The Aussies could have complained to Tendalkur and had it out in the changing rooms.

But why do that, when they can stick together and get a key player banned

BTW Has it been proven that he knew Symonds was black (or of Caribbean origin)?! I've seen him play countless times and genuinely didn't know.

Aside - I had to LMAO earlier at SSN when they freely said Monkey during the interview, but when someone SPELLED '*******' they apologised

Disco

as ive said a couple of times on this thread Harbi has form abusing Symonds. he did this in India -so he obviously knows Symonds is a person of color and there was an agreement that monkey would not be used as a form of abuse-what more do you need? Symonds hardly has the features of your typical white aussie- ugly,beer bellied, and pasty faced for example.

[carlton]

Maybe we wud have played for the win and wrapped up the match in under 4 days if any one of the decisions against symonds was given.

Aussies are the best team on the planet by a country mile.But there is no way they would have wrapped up 16 wins on the row without the aid of the umpires.

And that my friends is the reason why even if you wrap up 50 wins in a row, in the minds of the cricket purists, Windies team of the late 70s and early 80s are still the greatest of all times. They played for a win and epitomized everything good about cricket.

Geez, get off the grass mate. The Windies of that era played a modified form of bodyline. Epitomized everything good about cricket-i nearly spat my tea out. I bet Bishen Bedi wasnt thinking that when he closed a 2nd innings at 5 wkts down cos 2 or 3 of his team were in hospital and he was worried the Windies bowlers might kill his tailenders due to the way they were bowling. Think this happened in 76-7. The Windies were ruthless.

[MARTINOZ]

Why? IMO there has been two insults thrown which are commonly used in their nations and aren't racist or particularly offensive in each person's nationality.

Mate, Singh knew it was a racist term after everything that went on in India. You backing him up doesn't paint a very nice picture. He shouldn't have said it if he did. End of!

[Skillz]

Mate, Singh knew it was a racist term after everything that went on in India. You backing him up doesn't paint a very nice picture. He shouldn't have said it if he did. End of!

Spot on. Using ignorance as an excuse doesn't cut much mustard with me after what went on over there.

What is of concern is if there is no other evidence. Proctor said he is convinced one side is telling the truth, why? Gets into murky waters now.

Cricket's just about ****ed if you ask me anyway. The subcontinent is far too powerful and are only to happy to wield it.

[Skillz]

I did the right thing by the game
By Ricky Ponting
Australia captain
January 08, 2008

EVERYONE in the Australian team knows how important the spirit of cricket is to the way we play the game. Under Steve Waugh's captaincy, we signed a collective pledge to uphold and enhance that spirit.

And since I took over from Steve, I have taken it on myself to personally ensure that each new member of the team is fully aware of his responsibilities to the game.

In the spirit of playing hard but fair cricket, anyone who knows me and the way I play will be aware I do not make a point of running to umpires and making complaints. That is why I was particularly disappointed to hear television commentators suggest during the Test that I was a "dobber" who had opened a "pandora's box" for making a report of what I believed was racial abuse towards Andrew Symonds.

Over the past two years, match referees have made it clear at the start of every series that it is the captain's responsibility to immediately report any form of racism from either the crowd or on the field.

When I heard what had taken place with Andrew, I immediately informed the umpires and then left the field at the end of the over to inform our team manager, which is what we are instructed to do.

There is absolutely no place for racism in sport or in society generally, and I fully support the International Cricket Council's anti-racism policy. All our players are very aware of their responsibility.

Making this report is not something I wanted to do but something I had to do. I had nothing to gain personally from taking this action. I was doing the right thing by the game. I hope that what I have done will enhance the game in the future and also be an example to the wider community when it comes to dealing with the difficult issue of racism.

It is a shame that this issue has come to dominate the Test because, from my point of view, I believe that overall both the Melbourne and Sydney Tests were played in terrific spirit. This is not something we take lightly so it is surprising and disappointing to hear Anil Kumble suggest that we did not play within that spirit in Sydney.

I believe that, as a general rule, both teams have got on really well. There was talk in the dressing room of some of the banter that went on out in the middle and some of it was quite funny from both sides.

I like Anil as a bloke and admire him as a cricketer and now captain. I have always felt he played his cricket in the right way, hard but fair. And I believe that is what we do, too.

Anil and I came to an agreement before the series about how catches should be judged. At the usual match referee's meeting at the start of the series Mike Procter said that all catches which were uncertain would be referred to the third umpire by the on-field umpires. I have never liked this because I believe technology is not good enough to judge low catches in particular, and I think that is obvious at some stage in just about every Test.

Instead, I have always preferred an agreement whereby the batting side takes the word of the fielding side. So Anil and I decided that we would ask our fielders if they were 100 per cent satisfied they had taken a catch if it was not obvious.

This happened twice when we were fielding. In the first innings, I took a low catch off Rahul Dravid but wasn't satisfied it carried so I told the umpire immediately.

In the second innings, Michael Clarke took a low catch off Sourav Ganguly. I went to him and asked if he was 100 per cent sure he had caught it. He said yes, so I relayed that to the umpires.

It appears that Ganguly wasn't fully aware of the agreement I had with Anil because, if he was, he would probably have left the field straight away.

Cricket can be a game of great emotion, as we saw with the dramatic end to the Sydney Test, and there are times when the boundaries of the spirit are pushed.

It's my job as captain to make sure everyone stays within those boundaries and I am satisfied we have, not only in this Test and series but in recent years.

I think that is obvious by how few times any of our players have been reported and been forced to attend disciplinary hearings in front of match referees.

We want to keep it that way and we are looking forward to the rest of the series.

In the end, we're all cricketers who love the game and love to play it at the highest level against the best opponents. That is why we enjoy playing against India so much.


From Foxsports.com originally taken from the Australian

[MARTINOZ]

What is of concern is if there is no other evidence.

Totally agree on this point. I just can't believe that he would have received a suspension on the word of Symonds. And also I definitely do not think Symonds would accuse anyone of it if it didn't happen. He is most definitely not that type of person.

[carlton]

I think Proctor ****ed up to be honest. I know Harbs got form but in the end it was his word against the others and this is never resolved satisfactorily and the Indians spiting the dummy was always going to happen. Every time something like happens it turns into a whole nations integrity being impugned leading to effigies being burnt in the streets. Even if Proctor reprimanded Harbi there would have been an uproar. But if he gets let off on appeal then the Aussies will feel like they have been branded as liars. Proctor should have cited lack of independent verification and given a warning to all players to it out.

[Joe King]

How do the Aussies constantly get away with crap like this?

They are taking the word of Ponting and Symonds. Since when has the word of a player meant suspension? Its absolutely ridiculous and disgraces the sport of cricket.

The ICC have to investigate the matter but not suspend Singh.

[disco]

Disco

as ive said a couple of times on this thread Harbi has form abusing Symonds. he did this in India -so he obviously knows Symonds is a person of color and there was an agreement that monkey would not be used as a form of abuse-what more do you need? Symonds hardly has the features of your typical white aussie- ugly,beer bellied, and pasty faced for example.

Fair enough, didn't know this.

I've just read Ponting's statement, still think it should have been dealt with without involving referees.

What's interesting is the outcry in the Aussie press about bad sportsmanship - 80% of people saying they weren't sporting and Bush Jnr should be sacked.

[fowlen]

Because these test matches were during the holiday season, i managed to watch almost the entire Sydney test, and quite honestly, the cricket was brilliant. Both teams play to a very high standard, and are a joy to watch.

What Ponting has failed to include in his statement is that Symonds himslef has probably knowingly been out on a couple of occasions, but refused to walk. In addition the ozzies have made, and succeeded with some pretty strong appeals where it was also pretty clear the indian batsmen did not hit the ball.

From my perspective as a neutral, i am appauled at the ozzies, and quite frankly they have played to win at all costs, and sadly have not played in the spirit of the game --- which is another thing that that the indians are really bitterly disappointed about.

The ozzies are a sensational team, and have wonderful cricketers and i cannot believe that they have resorted to some of their tactics etc.

For one I believe the Indians are quite right to make a stand, and it's about time that a team challenged the ozzies.

[Colemere]

India has one of their wishes come true, no excuses when they get beat now, apart from " Harbajan could have turned the match for us":whatever:

[MARTINOZ]

They were whinging that much, they had to get something.

(Hides behind chair before the onslaught).

[Colemere]

They were whinging that much, they had to get something.

(Hides behind chair before the onslaught).

Stand up and be a man, the best response for anything anyone says is....


Ah ballocks

Why? because we are right.

[MARTINOZ]

Who gives a crap? The Aussies won because they are a better team, and the Indians are afraid of losing in a white-wash. We all know it. There! I have said it!

[Colemere]

Who gives a crap? The Aussies won because they are a better team, and the Indians are afraid of losing in a white-wash. We all know it. There! I have said it!