World cricket chiefs yesterday scrambled to save India's crisis-hit tour of Australia, axing a top umpire and announcing plans to fly in a top official to ease seething tensions between the two teams.
International Cricket Council (ICC) head Malcolm Speed said umpire Steve Bucknor would be replaced by Billy Bowden for the third Test in Perth following complaints from the Indian team about his performance in Sydney.
Bucknor was criticized for bungling key decisions in the explosive match which ended in accusations of bad sportsmanship and racism, overshadowing Australia's record-equalling 16th straight Test win.
India had effectively put the four-Test tour on hold while they appealed a three-Test ban for bowler Harbhajan Singh, who was accused of racially abusing Andrew Symonds, the only black player in the Australian side.
But a senior Indian cricket official said that after the ICC's moves, the tour would continue as planned.
"The tour will go on, we never said it won't," the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) source said. "A formal announcement will be made tonight."
The damaging row has threatened to derail one of cricket's biggest series, at a reported cost to Cricket Australia of up to A$50 million (US$43.5 million) in compensation payments to TV broadcasters.
Speed said ICC chief referee Ranjan Madugalle would attend the Perth Test from next Wednesday "to make sure the ill feeling that has evolved between the teams dissipates."
The ICC has also decided to appoint a code of conduct commissioner to adjudicate on India's appeal against Harbhajan's ban.
"What this does is give us an opportunity to move on," Speed told reporters in Melbourne.
"Over the last week we've seen the best and the worst of our game," he said.
India were incensed by Australia's behavior on Sunday's tense final day, with captain Anil Kumble accusing the hosts of not living up to the spirit of the game.
He found an unusual ally in Australian newspapers yesterday, who called Ricky Ponting's team "boorish" and "arrogant" for taunting the visitors, pressuring the umpires and indulging in ungracious victory celebrations.
However, Australia's Mike Hussey defended Ponting and said he had the backing of his team.
Speed said Harbhajan would be eligible to play while his appeal against the ban was pending, although he could give no date for the hearing.
"I believe that the final two Tests will go ahead," he said.
India continued to deny Harbhajan had called Symonds a "monkey" as the team, ordered to stay in Sydney rather than travel to Canberra as planned, took a day off to go to Bondi Beach.
Separately, 91 percent of Indian fans polled by the Hindustan Times newspaper said they wanted the team to pull out of the tour immediately.
The history of matches between Australia and India is littered with controversial incidents.
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