Harbhajan cleared of racist allegations

SYDNEY, Australia -- Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh has been cleared of making racist gestures and spitting at fans during his team's one-day win over Australia on Sunday.

Harbhajan played a vital part in Sunday's victory that gave India a 1-0 lead in the tri-series finals, claiming the key wickets of Andrew Symonds and Matthew Hayden.

However, it was then claimed in the local media that he made monkey gestures by scratching his armpits with both hands in a similar fashion to Indian fans taunting Symonds last year, then spat at the crowd.

Indian officials leapt to his defense and match referee Jeff Crowe, who investigated the claims, found no evidence to support the allegations.

"I have investigated the alleged incident with Cricket Australia's ground security officials after reading newspaper reports and viewing related photographs that have been published," Crowe said.

"After reviewing all available information, I conclude that there is no need to take any action against Harbhajan Singh."

Harbhajan was suspended for three Tests after January's second Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground for allegedly calling Symonds a monkey, a suspension that was overturned at a subsequent International Cricket Council hearing.

Indian team manager Bimal Soni condemned the reports prior to Crowe's investigation.

"I think it is wrong," Soni said. "Nothing has been done like that, they are making a mountain out of a molehill.

"He did nothing. These stories, I do not believe them and I strongly condemn them."

Norman O'Neill, one of the great Australian Test batsmen of the 1960s, died early on Monday at the age of 71, Cricket Australia said.

O'Neill played 42 Tests from 1958 to 1965, scoring 2,779 runs at an average of 45.55, including six Test centuries. He died after a long battle with throat cancer.

O'Neill, who toured England twice with Australia in 1961 and 1964, was also a handy leg-spin bowler and captured 17 wickets at 39.24 with a Test best of 4-41 against the West Indies at Port-of-Spain in 1965.

Cricket Australia chairman Creagh O'Connor said O'Neill was a great sportsman and an entertaining cricketer.

"I had the good fortune to see his last Test century, an even 100 against England in the fourth Test of the 1962-3 series, and remember him as the type of player who, at his best, won the hearts of the public through the way he played," O'Connor said in a statement.

"He was great to watch when he was batting but he was also a magnificent fielder in the covers."

Former Test and state teammate Alan Davidson said O'Neill was an exhilarating batsman.

"He'd play attacking shots off balls that other people could only think of defending," Davidson said.

"He had wonderful skill and technique. His shots off the back foot down the ground off fast bowlers -- you can't really describe how good they were.

"He had a charisma, yet at the same time he was the most modest, humble bloke you could ever run into."

O'Neill debuted for New South Wales at 18 and was 21 when he played his first Test for Australia.

He was one of Wisden's Cricketer of the Year in 1962 and his many international highlights included an innings of 181 in the December 1960 tied Test against the West Indies in Brisbane. E-mail to a friend