The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Harbhajan Singh throws a fit

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jul 13, 2005

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Sport - Cricket

Harbhajan Singh throws a fit

Incident to be mentioned to the ECB

London: Harbhajan Singh's volatile temper came to the fore again as the Indian off-spinner got involved in a war of words with Gloucestershire batsman Mark Hardinges in Surrey's County Championship Division One match at Bristol.

It all started with Harbhajan bowling at the batsman who went for a sweep and Surrey players appealed for a catch at silly point.

It looked like an inside edge that hit Hardinges' pad before being taken by Scott Newman at silly-point. But umpire Allan Jones was unmoved. The incident was followed by exchange of words between the bowler and the batsman. Harbhajan gave Hardinges a piece of his mind at the non-striker's end prompting the umpire to warn him and both the players shook hands.

The incident is almost sure to be mentioned in Jones' match report to the ECB.

Gloucestershire Chief Executive Tom Richardson later downplayed the altercation as "nothing more than a few angry words exchanged in a corridor."

In the match against Warwickshire last month, Harabhajan had lost his temper and hurled a delivery at a batsman that soared over the wicketkeeper's head and was declared a no-ball. Interestingly, Jones was the umpire in that match as well.

Another argument

Hardinges was involved in another argument with Scott Newman in the pavilion on Monday. Meanwhile, though Alex Gidman's brilliant 142 salvaged a draw for Gloucestershire, it turned out to be a good outing for Harbhajan who slammed 84 in the first innings and then claimed five wickets in the match that concluded on Monday. Opting to bat first, Surrey had put on 603 in its first innings and then bundled out Gloucestershire for 288 imposing the follow on. Gloucestershire, however, managed to escape with a draw as Gidman proved the stuff he is made of.

Harbhajan entertained the crowd with some bright batting in the Surrey innings and hit a 95-ball 84 before being castled. His entertaining knock included 11 hits to the fence besides three sixes.

Harbhajan claimed four important middle order wickets — including Gidman who hit 93 in the first innings — to trigger a batting collapse.

The Turbanator's bowling figures read 23.1-6-51-4 in the first innings. The Indian, however, could not reproduce the same magic in the second innings as he toiled in the middle but the dour Gloucestershire batsmen — led by Gidman — thwarted him. Harbhajan finished with 19-3-56-1 in the second innings with J.A. Pearson being his only victim.

Brief result: Gloucestershire 288 & 494 (following-on); Surrey 603 & 84 for three. — UNI

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