Geoff Lawson, current Pakistan coach and former Aussie cricketer, told the Daily Telegraph:

“There’s certainly been a lot of feeling from ex-players who think the baggy green has been disrespected. Some of these (current) players need to be spoken to. I certainly don’t agree with dragging (Ricky) Ponting’s captaincy, I just think a bit of counselling needs to be done with how these players perceive themselves.” “As an ex-Australian player I was pretty disappointed. Perception is everything and the outside world thinks that this Australian team is arrogant and not well behaved. Whether the team themselves think that is another issue, but I can guarantee you the rest of the cricket world

Honestly, I think they just need some humbling defeats to set them right. Break a leg, India. Uh, I’ve used that phrase twice this week, haven’t I?

Post from: EveryJoe

Quote of the Week: Haughty Aussies

News is that umpire Steve Bucknor won’t officiate at Perth, which means Billy Bowden will be replacing him. And there’s another news that Harbhajan Singh’s ban has been suspended following BCCI’s appeal against the same, which means he can play the rest of the matches. Of course, the team management will decide if he’ll play or not.

Huh, well.

Coins: Actually, this move by the ICC just goes on to show that bucks matter a lot, even if they’ve sworn to the contrary:

the decision was made in the interests of giving the series a fresh start following instances of ill-feeling between the teams and some on-field umpiring errors that have been made in the series so far. It is also designed to create an environment whereby the match can be played without undue attention and added pressure being heaped on the match officials.

Conspiracy: This is the first time ICC has decided to sack an umpire on a team’s request. This shouldn’t have happened. Would FIFA remove a referee if one of the teams complained about them? It only shows ICC doesn’t know how to be in control of things.

(Indians: Consider this from a non-Indian’s perspective. You’ll get my point.)

Cricket: Thanks heaven, we’ll have some actual whacking bats around a cricket pitch. I wonder what BCCI would have done if Harbhajan hadn’t been provincially acquitted. Perth is a bouncy wicket, and it makes sense to play Yuvraj Singh. He deserves a few more chances. Sehwag, anyone? Why not allow Dhoni to let his locks down and enjoy the view from the pavilion instead for a while?

Don’t forget to check out Baseer’s post.

Post from: EveryJoe

Coins, Cricket, and Conspiracy

Need I say we’re all foaming at mouth.

Angry fans on streets

Fans as far as Jammu & Kashmir (which is a cricket-neutral state) are carrying out protests.

Angry Indian cricket fans held street demonstrations and burned effigies of two cricket umpires on Monday, blaming poor decisions for their team’s defeat in the second test against Australia, while criticizing a three-match ban handed to spin bowler Harbhajan Singh.

Indian media also reacted with anger toward Harbhajan’s suspension after he was found guilty by match referee Mike Proctor of racially abusing Australia all-rounder Andrew Symonds, and questioned the sportsmanship of the Australian team.

Effigies Burnt

Justice on road.

Effiges of umpires Steve Bucknor and Mark Benson were burnt by cricket fans in Kanpur and Vadodra on Sunday to express their anger over their howlers which influenced the course of the second test between India and Australia in Sydney.

Soon after India lost the match to hand Australia a 2-0 lead in the series, dozens of cricket fans came out on the streets in Kanpur and shouted slogans against the umpires faulting them for the country’s defeat.

Post from: EveryJoe

Fast and Furious: Indian Cricket Fans Fuming

There is some news that the Indian board will boycott the Border-Gavasker series but looks like they’re still going back and forth with the decision. So we’ll have to wait a day or two to see how things shape up.

Most of the bloggers and newspapers are demanding a  boycott. I might have thought so, too. However, I beg to differ now.

How about we stay and punch the opponents in their nose with two straight, ruthless victories? That, in my opinion, is a better way to answer them back.

If the tour is called of, the BCCI will have to pay a whopping sum as fine, and boycotting would only severe the already sour relationship between the two teams.

Boycotting is really the easy way out. Let’s just stand our ground.

Break their a leg, Men in Blue.

Post from: EveryJoe

Break a leg, Men in Blue

This is the first thing I read on logging in.

BCCI has asked the Indian team to stay in Sydney until the Harbhajan hearing, rather than travel to Perth for the the third test.

Under ICC rules, member countries are obliged to fulfil their tour contracts except when the security of the players is at risk or the touring team’s government orders that the tour should not proceed.

India could also be liable to reimburse Cricket Australia for any losses incurred.
Cricket Australia faced the possibility of a similar fine if it boycotted the tour of Zimbabwe last year.

However, there was another report this morning from Sydney Morning Herald confirming that India won’t pull out of the tour.

The Indian cricket team has confirmed it will not make the contentious move of pulling out of the Australian tour after their spinner Harbhajan Singh was slapped with a three-Test ban.

What the heck? You are confused again, Ozzies.

Post from: EveryJoe

Breaking News: BG Trophy in Danger

Post from: EveryJoe

Mr. Bucknor needs eye check-up. Fast…

Australians want to convince themselves that India is bringing in a fractured team to their land.

According to a report recently sent to the Board of Control for Cricket in India, Sachin Tendulkar and the rest of the squad will arrive this month with serious doubts over their ability to go the distance of a 10-week tour.

I’m not sure if ability is the right word to use here.

He says Murali Kartik, for instance, struggles for fitness, agility and throwing ability.

We can do without him. Next…

He was right about Virender Sehwag needing to work on his fitness — he’s since been ruled out of the Australian tour.

You are just not well-informed. He’s been called back.

Zaheer Khan struggles to throw on the run. Praveen Kumar is lacking technique, balance and anticipation. Rudra Pratap Singh needs to improve his catching, while Harbhajan Singh is slow

By now, I am getting a feeling that this has been stolen from a past CricInfo report. Brush up your copyright knowledge. Oh, and give me a break, Harbhajan is not so slow.

Stop the guesswork. Get your psychologists ready. We’re comin’.

Post from: EveryJoe

Stop guessing, Ozzies

Pretty predictable list, basically. Only surprise is Sreesanth’s absence.

Yes, he’s unfit, but then RP and Zaheer Khan have been roped in too, despite injuries. Well, so we’ll miss on the fun, I guess.

Post from: EveryJoe

The Prospects’ List is Out

The couplet from A Tale of Two Cities applies to Harbhajan’s current situation extremely well.

Good news: Harbhajan’s 2-wicket haul at the 4th ODI against Oz played a key role in India’s comeback.

Bad new: The old boy will have to incur Jodie aka Snark Goddess’s wrath. I told ya, it never helps to be a bad boy.

Well, but anyway, you have your bhangra, haven’t you Bhajji? You’ll get over it.

Photo Courtesy: The Age

Post from: EveryJoe

It’s the best of times, it’s the worst of times for Harbhajan…