Melbourne: Cricket Australia Chief James Sutherland today came down heavily on the International Cricket Council for its gaffe, which resulted in Harbhajan Singh being reprieved from his three-Test ban.

"If you read the judgement, judge (John) Hansen says the penalty would have been different if he had some facts in front of him," Sutherland said.
"From that point of view, that s disappointing, I am disappointed, Cricket Australia is disappointed," he said.

Harbhajan was given the ban by match referee Mike Procter on Jaunary 6 on Andrew Symonds complaint that Harbhajan called him "monkey" but ICC appointed appeals commissioner Justice John Hansen of New Zealand overturned the decision, citing lack of evidence.

ICC accepted that it had bungled up up by not tabling in front of Hansen the full background of Harbhajan Singh, something which could have resulted in bigger penalty for the Indian off-spinner.

"It's very unfortunate that human error led to Justice Hanser not having the full history of Harbhajan's previous Code of Conduct breaches and the ICC accepts the responsibility for this mistake," ICC Chief Executive Malcolm Speed said.

Sutherland, however, said the Australian Board would speak to all rounder Symonds as he chose not to defend himself ahead of the Twenty20 clash against India.

Source : PTI