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Hounded Harbhajan Singh cleared of latest allegations

03/03/2008

Harbhajan Singh has been cleared of making racist gestures in yesterday's CB Series finals match in Sydney.

India won the first of the best-of-three final by six wickets at the SCG, easily reaching their 240 victory target thanks to a fine 117 not out from Sachin Tendulkar.

But the match was marred by allegations from members of the crowd that spinner Harbhajan, 27, made monkey gestures to the crowd.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald Harbhajan scratched his armpits and spat at the crowd, actions some believe are related to taunts allegedly made earlier in the tour.

A statement from match referee Jeff Crowe said there was "no need to take any action" after viewing photographs of the incident.

Harbhajan had been given a three-match ban for allegedly calling Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds a "monkey" in the second Test in Sydney.

The International Cricket Council subsequently cleared him of racist abuse, downgrading the penalty to half his match fee for obscene language and offensive behaviour.

India had threatened to end the tour early over the row and the subsequent clashes have been marred by ongoing bitterness.

Last week Matthew Hayden even called Harbhajan an "obnoxious little weed", a jibe which won him an official reprimand for breaching Cricket Australia's code of conduct.

Team manager Bimal Soni insisted the fresh claims against Harbhajan were "wrong".

"Nothing has been done like that. They are making a mountain out of a molehill. He did nothing," he said.

Even some Australians had admitted the latest allegations are questionable.

Former Australian captain Allan Border, who was at the ground, suggested Harbhajan was coping well with the incessant taunts from the hostile crowd.

"I didn't notice any gestures at all and I thought he handled himself quite well to be quite honest," he commented.

The second finals match takes place in Brisbane on Tuesday.