09 April,2011 07:03 AM IST | | Agencies
The BCCI and Cricket Australia (CA) colluded and acted in a manner "contrary to sprit of cricket" during the 2008 Sydneygate, New Zealand's Justice John Hansen who heard the case as the ICC Appeals Commissioner, has said.
Symonds
Hansen's criticism of the two boards was revealed by former ICC chief executive officer Malcolm Speed in his book 'Sticky Wicket', which hit the stands in Australia this week.
In the book, Speed quoted correspondence sent to him by Hansen who said that the two boards undermined the ICC as well as the role of the Commissioner.
"Although both boards would deny it, BCCI and CA were having discussions behind the scenes to resolve matters. Indeed, they presented me with an agreed statement of facts and a consent order that they expected me to rubber-stamp. In my view the consequences of such a course of action would have been disastrous for cricket," Hansen was quoted in the book, according to Cricinfo.
"In any event, their actions undermined the independence of the Code of Conduct Commissioner, were unbecoming, and in my view, contrary to the spirit of cricket... Given (that) the procedure arises from a voluntary code with input and agreement of all member associations, I consider the behaviour was improper... having agreed to it, they ought to have confidence and respect it." Harbhajan Singh was slapped with a three-match ban by Match Referee Mike Procter following an accusation of racist taunt by Andrew Symonds in the Sydney Test.
