News 8th Jan: Team may not play Canberra, Bucknor out, Madugalle in as "co-referee"

[Rajan]

they will go ahead with the series. after all, BCCI needs the participation of Australian cricketers in IPL. some kind of compromise will be reached. may be the judgement of the appeal will not be pronounced till end of the series or BCCI or ICC will express that they need to arrange some hot shot leagal expert to ensure proper justice, so more delay before the appeal is heard.

[Rajesh Sethi]

If Hogg is banned for 3 tests, Aussies will presumably follow our lteam's ead and sook, appeal and threaten to boycott tour, so he will be allowed to play pending an appeal just like Bhajji. However, both Hogg and Bhajji are probably less useful than a fourth quick bowler in Perth, so much ado about nothing really. I still can't understand why Clarke standing his ground when given out is not worse than saying someone's a bastard, which happens in virtually every cricket match played these days.

[Guest dada_rocks]

Same $hit will happen but on subliminal level.. U can be rest assured no LBWs against aussie and scores of them against India.. LBW to me is the biggest thuggery joint, U cud give out or not-out on exactly same happenstance and everyone will be happy.... If they were not allowed to win in Sydney then there is no chance anywhere else

[suraj]

Bhajji wants to stay http://www.timesnow.tv/NewsDtls.aspx?NewsID=5337 Even as the BCCI gets set to hold a crucial meeting today (January 8) to chalk out its strategy on the ICC three-Test ban on Harbhajan and whether to call back Team India in the wake of the controversy - the man in the spotlight - Harbhajan Singh speaking to reporters has said that he would not mind staying on in Australia if required. The team had spent this morning at Sydney's Bondi beach playing a game of volley ball, in an apparent effort to relax and put the tension surrounding the future of the Test series aside for a few hours. The team looked upbeat despite the controversy. Bhajji was regaled by the press as he boarded the bus back afterwards. "I want to. Why not?", Bhajji replied to the media question whether he would still like stay on and play in the series despite being tagged racist by the Australian team. Harbhajan's selection now skipper's prerogative After Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh was levied a three Test ban for charges of racially abusing Australian cricketer Andrew Symonds, the ICC has said that Harbhajan's selection in the team for Test 3 play depends on the Indian skipper. ICC chief Malcolm Speed spoke to Sharad Pawar, chief of BCCI regarding the ban on Harbhajan Singh on Tuesday (January, 8). Speaking about the issue, Speed said, "According to the rules, if a decision on an appeal is not taken before the start of the match, the player is free to be selected by the team captain. So Harbhajan Singh can play if the decision on the appeal against his ban does not come before the start of the match at Perth." Is this victory? While Malcolm Speed has said that Harbhajan can go ahead and play the next match at Perth, a final decision on the ban will be taken by the appeal commissioner only later. This almost translates into the fact that Harbhajan will enter Test 3 at Perth carrying the tag of a racist. Though BCCI officials have held that there will be no let up from the its side till the ICC entirely lifts the ban on Harbhajan Singh, the fact is that the Board, including chief Sharad Pawar, has expressed satisfaction on the ICC decision and even proclaimed victory. Reacting to Speed's statement, Pawar said that he was grateful that ICC had taken this decision. He added, "Harbhajan can now play at Perth." Commenting on the issue, Rajiv Shukla, Vice President said, "The ICC decision should not be considered as vicotry or defeat for any side. It should be taken as victory of cricket."