Harbhajan Singh ban uplifted; fine imposed

Adelaide: Spin bowler Harbhajan Singh's three-Test suspension for racial abuse was downgraded to a fine Tuesday, allowing India's cricket tour of Australia to continue.

The International Cricket Council said following a one-day appeal hearing that the charge had been reduced to a lesser one of general abuse.

Instead of the suspension, Singh was fined 50 percent of his match fee - about 3,000 Australian dollars (US$2,665, 1,800) - from the second Test at Sydney.

In Sydney, Harbhajan Singh clashed verbally with Australian allrounder Andrew Symonds.

Cricket Australia spokesman Peter Young said India was scheduled to fly to Melbourne for Friday's Twenty20 match where about 90,000 tickets have been sold at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

A limited-overs series involving Australia and Sri Lanka begins on Sunday in Brisbane with India playing Australia at the Gabba.

"It's time to move on," Indian captain Anil Kumble said. "This matter was lingering on for the last two weeks or so, although cricket was being played, but now the matter is settled. I'm really happy and relieved, not just for Harbhajan, but for cricket overall.

"It's time to start concentrating on the game."

Harbhajan was originally charged with a level 3.3 breach of cricket's code of conduct but pleaded guilty to a lesser, 2.8 level, charge which carried a smaller penalty.

The downgraded charge and guilty plea apparently resulted from a joint effort by Cricket Australia and the Board of Control for Cricket in India to end the controversy, which had soured the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series.

Cricket Australia and the Board of Control for Cricket in India released a joint statement Tuesday endorsing the appeal decision.

"Controversy surround the incident involving Harbhajan Singh and Andrew Symonds on day three of the Sydney Test has come to a constructive conclusion today..." the statement said.

"Singh and Symonds said they had resolved the on-field issue between them in Sydney and now intend to move on. They said they intended to make no further comment on the issue and intended to get on with the game of cricket which is most important to them."

"Both captains also said they were satisfied with the outcome between their respective players and they looked forward to the cricket battles that lie ahead."

The appeals hearing chaired by New Zealand High Court judge John Hansen took verbal evidence from players from both teams and reviewed audio and video evidence before its decision was reached.

"Justice Hansen said that he was convinced that on all evidence submitted before him the charge of a level 3.3 offense was not proven, but that Harbhajan should be charged with a level 2.8 offense," the ICC statement said.

"Harbhajan pleaded guilty to this charge, and on hearing submissions on the penalty, Justice Hansen imposed a fine of 50 percent of his match fee."

Justice Hansen will release the full reasons for his decision later in the week.