Jan 05: Indian team management got a 24-hour respite to prepare for the defence of off-spinner Harbhajan Singh as ICC Match Referee Mike Procter deferred the hearing on the charge of racially abusing Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds during the second test in Sydney.
The hearing was originally scheduled for this evening. The International Cricket Council (ICC) said the hearing had been postponed until after the close of play on Sunday, the final day of Sydney Test, following a request from the Indian team management.
"At the request of the India Team Manager and under the circumstances I have exercised my discretionary powers to postpone the code of conduct hearing until the conclusion of this Test match," Procter said in the statement.
"I am satisfied that with a further 24 hours India will have time to sufficiently prepare for this hearing," he added.
Harbhajan has been charged under Level 3 of the ICC's Code of Conduct following his altercation with Andrew Symonds at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Friday.
Harbhajan might face a ban of between two and four test matches or between four and eight one-day internationals, if found guilty.
Officiating umpires Mark Benson and Steve Bucknor laid down the charge after yesterday's play following a complaint from Australian captain Ricky Ponting.
Harbhajan and Symonds got into verbal duel shortly after the Indian completed his half-century due to which play got delayed for quite a few minutes while the umpires had a chat with Harbhajan on the pitch.
"I did not say anything racist. I do not know what is going on," Harbhajan quoted the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper.
"I haven't done anything, we were just talking. It wasn't even sledging; it was just normal talk out on the cricket field. I was concentrating on my batting," the off-spinner added.
The ICC said the alleged offence falls under section 3.3 of its code of conduct, which refers to players or officials “using language or gestures that offends, insults, humiliates, intimidates, threatens, disparages or vilifies another person on the basis of that person's race, religion, gender, color, descent, or national or ethic origin.''
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