Hayden admits being ‘insensitive’

Australian opener Matthew Hayden has admitted being “insensitive” in making the ‘obnoxious little weed’ remark against Harbhajan Singh but said it was not against the spirit of cricket and did warrant a reprimand.

Australian opener Matthew Hayden has admitted being “insensitive” in making the ‘obnoxious little weed’ remark against Harbhajan Singh but said it was not against the spirit of cricket and did warrant a reprimand.

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“I can see that my comments were insensitive but they were not intended to be denigrating and especially not contrary to the spirit of cricket,” Hayden said.

“The cricket environment I have grown up with is probably a little bit different from today,” the 37-year-old was quoted by the Daily Telegraph. Hayden expressed anguish at being reprimanded by Cricket Australia for his behaviour.

“It saddens me that my employer has to discipline me for my behaviour,” Hayden said.

CA blames team for double standards

Melbourne: Cricket Australia has blamed its players for acquiring double standards by complaining of lack of support from the Board and charging the officials of bowing down to the BCCI might too often this season.

CA’s reprimand to opener Matthew Hayden for calling Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh an ‘obnoxious little weed’ has not gone down well with the Australian players as they felt the Board overreacted to the “flippant remark”.

The Board and players were also facing each other in the sponsorship deal related to the Indian Premier League.