Firstly, genuine congratulations to the Australian cricket team.  Let's not let all the controversy affect the real point. No other team in the world could recover from 134 for six and have their tail wag to reach a remarkable 463, then concede 532 runs before going on to win a Test. 

No amount of obvious bad umpiring decisions can change these facts. Controversy and 'bad sportsmanship' aside, oh, what a glorious Test match. 

Nothing can also change the fact that India were smacked in the first Test, and were outplayed by a typically aggressive Australian team.  History books will record that Ricky Ponting's team have now won 16 consecutive Tests, an amazing feat only equalled by Steve Waughs 1999-2001 team.

'If Singh's ban remains - this incident has stunted one of India's most potent weapons, a man who has Ponting dancing to his tune'


I was glad to see India perform to potential at the SCG.  Here was the only team bar England to challenge Australia this millennium - with three Test series victories against the Australians in 12 years.  India hold the best current record against Australia, and are on paper the second strongest team in the world.  Indeed, players such as VVS Laxman, Harbhajan Singh, Anil Kumble and the great Sachin Tendulkar all hold great records (often better than their career averages) against the Baggy Greens.

But while I thought India did enough to at least earn a draw, Australia also did enough to earn a surprising victory. The second half of the match was dominated by Ricky Ponting and his men.  When Matthew Hayden and Mike Hussey posted workmanlike centuries against a fearsome spin attack, the game was already beginning to swing.  But India's second innings (again, poor decisions aside) was played without aggression or composure, with only Sourav Ganguly scoring more than 50 and four batsmen recording ducks.

No doubt, both umpires had very poor games.  But the ICC, have said that they are looking at trying new variations to both the appeal process, and increasing the third umpire's role. Like any governing body, they will take their time.  But the umpiring did influence the result - and both umpires should suffer the appropriate consequences after a review takes place.  However, do we want to change the most traditional and most even sporting contest in the world that is Test cricket?

The racial slur has been the real blight on what was otherwise a brilliant game of cricket.  First we have Andrew Symonds, who has been implicated for racial abuse (his recent comments about the bombings in Pakistan were insensitive and crude).

According to Symonds, after Singh hit Brett Lee on the backside, "I stepped in and had a bit of a crack at Harbhajan, telling him exactly what I thought of his antics. He then had a shot back, which brings us to the situation we're facing." So what did Symonds say first?

Then Ricky Ponting, who had one of his poorer games as captain, reported Singh to match referee Mike Procter who said it was beyond reasonable doubt that Harbhajan had called Symonds a "monkey" and that it was intended as a racial or ethnic slur.  Under the ICC Level 3 code of conduct, he was banned for three matches.  Under the same code of conduct, showing dissent at an umpire's decision by word or by action, excessive appealing and intimidation of an umpire or referee are also offences.  But there was plenty of 'over-appealing' by the Aussies without any word or warning from the umpires. 

Michael Clarke's catch to dismiss Ganguly was borderline - the fielder confirming he had held the ball legally. Is this the same Michael Clarke who one day stood his ground after being caught at slip.  This is the incident that for me concurs with a distressed Anil Kumble's comment that only one team played honest cricket.

As some Indian reporters have rightfully pointed out, if the matter goes to court, their must be substantiated evidence that Singh racially abused Symonds - even though Symonds admits being the first one to "draw verbal blood". 

If the appeal fails, there is every likelihood that this Indian team, the only team powerful enough to challenge the Australians, will be called home by their board. If Singh's ban remains, this incident has stunted one of India's most potent weapons, a man who has Ponting dancing to his tune.

Australia will already have a massive advantage at Perth, where their intimidating pace battery, combined with a desire to set a world-record 17 straight Test victories will be hard to beat. The perfect leveller to these advantages will be the overturning of this ban, which will give India the confidence to keep this remarkable series alive, and allow us to enjoy two of the strongest batting line-ups, the best pace attack and the best tandem spin attack in the world.