Australian newspapers still looking to unsettle Bhajji: Bimal

Sydney, Mar 3 (UNI) Team India has backed off-spinner Harbhajan Singh after complaints from the crowd that he had made monkey gestures towards them and spat in their direction in the first CB series final here.

The two Australian newspaper Sydney Morning Herald and the Daily Telegraph both quoted members of the crowd who accused the Indian off-spinner during the first best-of-three finals which the hosts lost by six wickets.

The papers also said Harbhajan was being abused by spectators.

However, India have rejected the accusations against the spinner, following reports that he gestured and spat towards the crowd.

Indian officials have not received a report from the match referee Jeff Crowe and they believe the newspaper articles are another attempt to further unsettle Harbhajan.

The India team manager Bimal Soni said, ''This is the imagination of the Australian press, which has been trying to add pressure on Harbhajan at every moment.'' ''We do not talk about it, we only talk about the cricket on the field and we do not want to talk anything about these things,'' he added.

UNI XC CS RAR VP1133