IndiaPost.com - Hayden calls Harbhajan 'obnoxious weed'; reprimanded

MELBOURNE: Australian opener Matthew Hayden has admitted being "insensitive" in making the 'obnoxious little weed' remark against Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh but said it was not against the spirit of cricket and did not warrant a reprimand.

"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," the 37-year-old cricketer was quoted as saying by the 'Daily Telegraph'.

Hayden expressed anguish at being reprimanded by Cricket Australia for his behavior. "It saddens me that my employer has to discipline me for my behavior," Hayden said. Hayden, in an interview to 'Brisbane Radio', had called Harbhajan "obnoxious little weed" and also invited young pace man Ishant Sharma "into a ring" for a boxing bout.

CA rules do not allow its contracted players to make comments against opponent players or the Board and hence charged Hayden with breach of its code of behavior, although let off with only a reprimand.

On the other hand, Singh may consider Matthew Hayden one of the most disliked cricketers around, but retiring wicketkeeper-batsman Adam Gilchrist disagrees, calling his one-day opening partner "one of the most well-respected people in our team."

Hayden had added fuel to an already explosive tour when he described Harbhajan as an "obnoxious little weed" and challenged young Indian pace man Ishant Sharma to a boxing bout in an interview to 'Brisbane Radio'. The Indian off-spinner replied by claiming Hayden was one of the most disliked players on the international cricket circuit.

"Who is Matthew Hayden? You only need to speak to international cricketers... To know in what opinion they hold Hayden," Harbhajan had said. Speaking ahead of tomorrow's inconsequential tri-series match against Sri Lanka here, Gilchrist, however, sprung to the defense of his team-mate.

"I've not ever cared to think what other teams think of Matthew Hayden. He's one of the most well-respected people in our team, so that's all that interests me." Harbhajan had also alleged Australian skipper Ricky Ponting abused him during the one-dayer in Adelaide, but Gilchrist dismissed the claims.

But he admitted the controversies during his farewell international season were taking a toll and it was important for the hosts to concentrate on playing good cricket.