Harbhajan called "obnoxious little weed"

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Australian pacer Brett Lee insisted his team continues to share cordial relationship with team India despite controversies. More... Melbourne, February 26:: The never-ending controversies notwithstanding, Australian pacer Brett Lee insisted that his team continues to share a cordial relationship with the Indian side and all reports of enmity were at best distorted. "I think if you see the way we get on with the Indian cricket team off the field it's a totally different story," Lee was quoted as saying. "As soon as we walk over that white line we're competitive and we're playing as hard as we possibly can," he added. The affable pacer maintained that the Australians played the game in the right spirit and said the two teams were good friends off the field. "...I can tell you that off the field there has been some amazing friends formed over the past couple of months. Look, we've got some great mates in the Indian side," he said. "We're out there playing hard cricket and as long as we're playing by the rulebook then there's no problems with that," he added. Lee refused to comment on the Indian complaint to the match referee against the "provocative behaviour of the Australians". "It's just their call, isn't it?" he said. "The thing that we can concentrate on is going out there and hopefully winning games for Australia. I know there was a bit of stuff floating around, but it's a matter of me as a player. "There has been a fair bit spoken, especially after the game and the complaints and stuff, but it's a matter now of focusing on the game of cricket," he added.

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Mahendra Singh Dhoni attacks Australia sledgers The India one-day captain has raised the stakes in the upcoming tri-series final against Australia by revisiting the simmering feud between the two teams over sledging. More... By Telegraph staff and agencies Last Updated: 11:55am GMT 26/02/2008 India one-day captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has raised the stakes in the upcoming tri-series final against Australia by revisiting the simmering feud between the two teams over sledging. Dhoni attacked the home side's behaviour and accused the Australians of provoking his younger teammates during matches. Indian fast bowler Ishant Sharma was fined for his "send off" of Andrew Symonds during Sunday's tri-series match in Sydney but Dhoni said he was provoked by the Australia all-rounder. Sledge: Mahendra Singh Dhoni says the India players are innocent. "He only reacted to what Symonds said to him," Dhoni said. For his part, Symonds has denied provoking Sharma, saying that he was merely congratulating the Indian player on a fine piece of bowling but that he was misunderstood. Sharma was the third Indian to be found guilty of breaching the sport's code of conduct during their troubled tour of Australia though Dhoni said his players were not to blame for their actions. However, the Indian skipper admitted some of his younger players needed to learn how to properly respond to any taunts. "If you're getting provoked then there are ways in which you can reply so you have to be careful about it," he said. "We have youngsters in the side who will learn all these arts. I think it's an art. You have to be good at it." Brett Lee, the Australia fast bowler, dismissed suggestions there was any lingering bad blood between the teams, insisting the players got on well off the field. "As soon as we walk over that white line we're competitive and we're playing as hard as we possibly can," Lee said. "But I can tell you that off the field there has been some amazing friendships formed over the past couple of months. We've got some great mates in the Indian side." Dhoni confirmed that his side was used to competing hard but dismissed suggestions of friendship between mebers of the two sides. "Cricket can never be friendly," Dhoni said. "There will always be aggression on the field but as long as it's balanced and nobody crosses the line, then it's fair enough."

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Harbhajan called "obnoxious little weed" India's Harbhajan Singh on Tuesday came under a fresh attack by Australian cricketers with opener Matthew Hayden calling the off-spinner an "obnoxious little weed", a remark which has the potential to create more bad blood between the two teams. More...

[The Outsider]

I wonder at the upbringing of some of these Aussie cricketers. Did they ever go to school? Were they ever told as part of their education and upbringing to be respectful to others? Funny to see Hayden justify, "Mad Boy" as some kind of clothing. How about this for monkey, And here is a gem from Rodney Who?

"Ive really had a gutful of their whinging, this is international sport, obviously people are going to say things to try to unsettle you," Hogg said.

Really? I don't see people sledge and say things to unsettle opponents in Tennis or Golf. Maybe they should also start going down the track of uncouthness. As it is the world is not a very pleasant place, the last thing you need is having an abusive work environment. And then Hayden again(though there is no direct quote for this one) :

Hayden said he had told Ishant Sharma to settle down and on Monday quipped he would like to meet the stringbean paceman in a boxing ring.

What kind of a sick mentality is this? Physically beating your professional opponents up? I am at a loss of words here.

[coffee_rules]

Hayden, Ponting, Clarke (that little smiling little white roach), Symonds - none of them are gracious in a win and have no respect for an opponent. Lee, Gilly, Hussey atleast respect the opponents.

[hatja_tau]

I seriously hope there is a backlash by the board and franchisees of IPL over this, you just accept this crap again and again, it makes us Indians look like fools offering zillions of $$$ to these egoistic pigs(and monkeys :-P)!

[Kartikey]

Somebody call up Lalit Modi and tell the franchises to treat them like dirt. Hopefully, the 100,000 strong Eden Gardens crowd will make Punter cry on the field, and hopefully Gangu asks him to distribute the drinks.

[Sachinism]

lol once again aussies prove what a disgrace they are thank you hayden, you've just been added to the list of "pieces of crap to come out of aus" and its getting to be a very long list

[sm332]

yeah .. I find it interesting that namecalling will be aggrandized as playing the game tough but fair ..... I mean do all the Assies believe their own BS?

[Anakin]

India's Harbhajan Singh on Tuesday came under a fresh attack by Australian cricketers with opener Matthew Hayden calling the off-spinner an "obnoxious little weed", a remark which has the potential to create more bad blood between the two teams. More...

That's not a sh.it word champ and you know it

[naikdipe]

I think there should be fines/bans for name-calling even if it is not in a match!!

[eternalhope]

The funny thing is the captains of India and Aus exchange a list of words which are not to be used and would be considered offensive. So if a word is not in that list, any one is free to use it and I guess Teri Maaki was not in that, but still the whiners got their way.

[Ram]

One of the BEST known secrets of world cricket is the animosity between Bhajji and Australians. Right from 2001, the relations between these two have been frosty at best. Bhajji hates Australians, as much as they loathe him and niether side is too shy of openly saying that. And trust me, Bhajji would be reveling in all the negative comments he is getting from the Aussies, because that is just what he wants to do. When Bhajji hears that Hayden called him an "Obnoxious little weed", I can imagining him standing up gracefully, doffing his hat and say in a dignified tone " Thank you very much, prick"..

[IndianRenegade]

Hayden said he had told Ishant Sharma to settle down and on Monday quipped he would like to meet the stringbean paceman in a boxing ring

WTF? Level 3.2 Threat of assault on another Player, Team Official or spectator The Offences set out at 3.1 to 3.3 below are Level 3 Offences. The penalty for a Level 3 Offence shall be a ban for the Player or Team Official concerned of between 2 and 4 Test Matches or between 4 and 8 ODI Matches How come the Indians let this go! Too much tolerance is nonsense!

[Predator_05]

Clarke (that little smiling little white roach)

No need to make comments like these.

[IndianRenegade]

Hayden should also be booked under Level 1.7 - Public criticism of, or inappropriate comment on a match related incident or match official. He is criticizing India for those incidents and claiming it is because they are loosing these incidents are being highlighted. I don't know how many more times the Aussies will escape punishment.

[IndianRenegade]

BCCI should complain to the ICC, and ensure that Hayden is banned for at least a match, since he himself has said that he called Ishant for a duel.

[Ram]

BCCI should complain to the ICC' date=' and ensure that Hayden is banned for at least a match, since he himself has said that he called Ishant for a duel.[/quote'] You seem like you really mean this. Relax dude, this is just on-field fun. Cant be running to the match refree for every offensive comment you hear. If that were be the case, most test players would serving suspended sentences by now.

[CC1981]

Hayden is a bigger dweeb ( and by the looks of him, a total steroid monkey who wouldn't stand a chance in a real fight) than anyone else in cricket- but he does have a point : Bhajji is a total prick.

[Mandrake]

Hayden just showing his lowly class here.....perfectly sums up the Aussie Cricket team's way- bad mouth anyone you want and when others retaliate , go running to their daddies crying.....mental disintegration:hysterical: