The ICC are Monkeys

I say good on India for not taking the Australian cricket team/ICC crap lying down.

For years international umpires have had an odd fascination with sending 50/50 decisions Australia's way more often than not - but this latest series has taken the cake. Rahul Dravid was not out in the second innings, and I strongly question whether Sourav Ganguly's nick to the slips carried to Michael Clarke - let alone all the other disgraceful calls earlier in the test.

But I especially find suspending Harbhajan Singh for three matches for allegedly calling Andrew Symonds a "monkey", outrageous. The daft thing is - had Harbhajan called him a fucking cunt - there would be no suspension, but because monkey is a 'racist' slur he gets suspended. Either ban all sledging - or let it be on the field. But anyway, without getting too deep into hate-speech laws etc, amazingly the stump microphones apparently pick up their conversation, including Symonds' supposed reaction - yet you can't hear Harbhajan say the word monkey once. Further, one of the greatest batsmen ever, Sachin Tendulkar, who was also batting at the time, backs up Harbhajan's denials that he even said it. The umpires (not that you could exactly trust them anyway!) also didn't hear anything.

However, Tendulkar's testimony was dismissed by the ICC in favour of the 'evidence' provided by Australian captain, Ricky Ponting and Vice Captain Adam Gilchrist. Why is their evidence so much more convincing than a recording of the conversation and the testimony of two umpires and Sachin Tendulkar?? Clearly Ponting and Gilchrist are both are very sensitive and aware of racial taunts after years of abuse on the tough streets of Hobart and Perth and could just sense the tirade of racist abuse from Harbhajan??

I think not. This was bullshit gamesmanship on their part in an attempt to blunt the attack of one of the worlds best spinners. I say shame on Ponting for cheapening the game - this series should have been a battle of the titans of the world game - a celebration of cricket if you will. Instead Ponting has been so desperate to win and bring the Indian side down, that he has brought the great game into disrepute.

Anyway, hopefully India are using their time well, practicing all those cuss words the ICC find acceptable!

PS. Does anyone think Wisden or say the MCC will release a book of acceptable sledges?? Id love one!