
Tour likely to continue after ICC sacks
umpire
By Julian Linden
SYDNEY (Reuters) - India's troubled tour of Australia is
expected to proceed as planned after the International
Cricket Council (ICC) bowed to pressure on Tuesday and
sacked umpire Steve Bucknor.
The ICC caved in to India's demands to axe Bucknor from
next week's third test in Perth as well as appointing match
referee Ranjan Madugalle as a mediator to resolve the bitter
dispute between the teams following last week's ill-tempered
match in Sydney.
The Indian cricket board (BCCI) immediately welcomed the
moves and said it was likely the tour would resume after it
was suspended on Monday.
"Definitely I'm happy," BCCI president Sharad Pawar told
reporters in New Delhi.
"Particularly I'm grateful to the Australian board for
taking a very positive approach in the matter."
The BCCI had told their players to remain in Sydney rather
than travel to Canberra for their next practice game, until
Harbhajan Singh's appeal against a three-match suspension
was heard.
Harbhajan was banned for calling Australian all-rounder
Andrew Symonds a "monkey" but has denied the charges
and appealed against the ruling.
ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed confirmed that Harbhajan
would be allowed to resume playing until the case was decided
but there was no guarantee it would be heard before the third test starts in Perth next Wednesday.
BOWDEN IN
However, a separate case into allegations of abusive language
by Australian all-rounder Brad Hogg would be heard before
the next match started, the ICC said.
Speed is hopeful the game will go ahead as planned after the
ICC appointed New Zealand umpire Billy Bowden to officiate
alongside Pakistan's Asad Rauf.
India wanted Bucknor sacked as punishment for a series of
blunders the 61-year-old West Indian made in the Sydney test
that contributed to their defeat.
Speed said the ICC did not normally allow member nations to
interfere with the umpires but the change was necessary to ensure
the tour continued.
"Steve accepts that his presence was a problem and in the best
interests of the game he accepted the decision," Speed said.
"It is an extraordinary set of circumstances and we want to take some
of the tension out of the situation."
Speed said Madugalle would fly to Perth to speak to Australia captain
Ricky Ponting and Indian skipper Anil Kumble before the match.
Relations between the two teams have hit rock bottom since last
week's drama-charged match in Sydney which ended with Kumble
accusing the Australians of breaching the spirit of cricket.
"We are bringing Ranjan in as a facilitator in an effort to prevent
any ill-feeling that may have been present at the Sydney test from
rolling over to Perth," Speed said.
"I believe the captains need to sit with Rajan Madugalle and listen
to what he has to say and express to him what their problems are,
resolve those issues and move forward."
Australia lead the four-match series 2-0 after wins in Melbourne and Sydney
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