Bhajji fined 50 per cent match fee, no ban

Bhajji fined 50 per cent match fee, no ban: "Bhajji fined 50 per cent match fee, no ban
New Delhi: The hearing in Harbhajan Singh's appeal against a three-Test ban commenced at the Adelaide Federal Court on Tuesday and according to sources, a compromise formula has been worked out between the two teams.

The racial abuse charges against Harbhajan Singh were dropped after India's Sachin Tendulkar and Australian captain, Ricky Ponting wrote a letter to the presiding judge, Justice John Hansen, to reduce Harbhajan's charges from Level 3.3 to level 2.8 — from charges of racial abuse to using offensive language.

Level 2.8 carries a fine of 50 to 100 per cent of the match fee and can also result in a one Test or two ODI ban. Harbhajan Singh has been fined 50 per cent of the match fee.

Harbhajan had been accused of making a racist remark against Australian player Andrew Symonds during the second Test in Sydney earlier this month.

Match Referee Mike Procter had subsequently slapped a ban on the Indian off-spinner. The series was jeopardised when the Indian team protested against the ban, threatening to pull out of the series if the charges of racism against Harbhajan Singh were not dropped.

ICC-appointed Justice Hansen had said on Monday that additional evidence — including chat transcripts — available from the stump microphone, would be taken into account.

The BCCI, however, opposed the move, fearing the such evidence could be tampered and doctored.

BCCI had kept open its option of curtailing the tour, even if invited a fine, in case Harbhajan was not cleared of the racist slur.

India is scheduled to meet Australia in the first match of the tri-series on Sunday.

During the course of the hearing, Justice Hansen heard all witnesses who had appeared before Mike Procter after the Sydney Test.

Tendulkar, who was batting with Harbhajan when the spat between Harbhajan and Symonds happened, acknowledged the waiting media outside the Adelaide court room but did not make any comments.

He has admitted to a brawl between Harbhajan and Symonds but has vehemently denied hearing Harbhajan using any racially abusive term against the Australian.

Ricky Ponting, Andrew Symonds, Michael Clarke and Matthew Hayden — who also attended the hearing — were not immediately available for comment.