Islamabad, Jan 9, 2008: Former Pakistan bowler Wasim Akram has branded Australia’s cricketers as “cry babies” in the wake of Harbhajan Singh’s racial abuse charge, according to a Criket365.com report.

Akram claims that, as the world’s worst sledgers, Australia have been hypocritical in laying the charge.

“I have played a large part of my cricket against the Aussies. Sometimes they said stuff, sometimes we did and then we moved on,” Akram told India’s Hindustan Times newspaper.

“We did not behave like cry babies and drag it to the officials... They do it constantly and much more than anyone else, so how they can go out and complain about other teams, I don’t know.”

Meanwhile, Indian commentator Harsha Bhogle claimed that India skipper Anil Kumble felt extremely let down by counterpart Ricky Ponting after the duo had made an agreement with regards to fair play.

“I have known Anil (Kumble) now for 18 years and I have never seen him as worked up as this. Never ever. He felt he made an agreement in good faith (with Ricky Ponting) and he has not kept that agreement,” Bhogle said.

He said that the Indian team felt Australia’s supposed efforts to safeguard the spirit of cricket were nothing but hot air.

“They say ‘trust me when I say I have taken a catch’ but they are allowed to stand their ground for obvious nicks and go up for an appeal they know is not out,”Bhogle continued. “If you go up and appeal for something you know is not out do you forfeit the right to have your word taken?

“Australia is now trying to say we uphold the spirit of the game, but it is a very unusual spirit of the game. If you are upholding this spirit you cannot appeal for something when you know a batsman is not out.

You cannot stand there when you have hit the cover off the ball.”


@ The Bangladesh Journal