Criconline

Why are Symonds and Proctor allowed to go scotfree

Justice John Hadsen has cleared Indian Offie Harbhajan Singh of racial abuse but the matter does not end there. Why has Andrew Symonds been allowed to go scotfree without a fine? It was a friendly gesture by Harbhajan Singh towards Brett Lee that caused the altercation between him and Andrew Symonds leading to allegations of racial abuse against the Indian off-spinner. 

According to Hansen, Lee had bowled a yorker to Harbhajan which the off-spinner played to fine leg. He then patted Lee on the back while taking a single as a gesture of appreciation. The incident prompted Symonds to approach Harbhajan and tell him he had no friends among the Australians in foul and abusive language. ”A Test match is no place to be friendly with an opposition player” Symonds said. Justice Hansen rightfully says “If that is his view, I hope it is not one shared by all international cricketers. It would be a sad day for cricket if it is.”

So why has Symonds not been slapped with a fine? And why is the ICC silent on why no action is been taken against Mike Proctor. His action against Harbhajan on the sole basis of the Aussies’ word is rascist to say the least.

Indian Selection Committee chief Dilip Vengsarkar has rightly called for Symonds & Proctor to be punished. But will the ICC take any action? If not, one can see why the Indian team is having the dubious record of maximum cases of breaching the ICC’s Code of Conduct and not Australia !!