The Indian cricket team, including batsman Sachin Tendulkar (centre), plays a game of beach volleyball on Sydney's Bondi Beach yesterday. India's cricket team remained in Sydney yesterday, waiting to hear whether the International Cricket Council was considering its appeal against a three-match suspension to spin bowler Harbhajan Singh. - AP

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP):

INDIA'S BELEAGUERED cricketers got good news on two fronts - suspended spinner Harbhajan Singh can play pending his appeal against a racism charge, and the umpire they complained vociferously about won't officiate in the next Test.

International Cricket Council (ICC) President Malcolm Speed told a news conference yesterday that a hearing into the India-lodged appeal of Harbhajan's three-Test ban will likely be held before the next Test, which is scheduled from January 16 in Perth.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had suspended its tour pending the outcome of Harbhajan's appeal hearing.

Speed said if the hearing was not held before the Perth match, Harbhajan would be eligible to play in the third Test.

Speed also said West Indian umpire Steve Bucknor had agreed to be replaced by New Zealand's Billy Bowden for the next Test.

Speed acknowledged some people would be unhappy because it looked like the ICC was bowing to pressure from India.

Heavy-handed approach

"I can understand that people will take that view," he said. "It is an extraordinary set of cir-cumstances ... we could have taken a heavy-handed approach, a letter of the law approach, but what we need to do is alleviate some of the tension that is focused on the match.

"One way to do that is to bring in a new umpiring team."

India's players tried to take some tension out as well - playing beach volleyball with lifesavers at Sydney's iconic Bondi Beach earlier in the day.

Harbhajan was suspended for allegedly calling Australian fielder Andrew Symonds a monkey on day three of a controversial Sydney Test.

Dr. M.V. Sridhar, India's media manager, said the BCCI objected to the fact that match referee Mike Procter took the word of three Australian players over that of Harbhajan and veteran batsman Sachin Tendulkar when there appeared to be no other evidence.

What was initially reported as a thinly veiled threat from India to withdraw from the remaining two Test matches and a limited-overs series has been tempered by team management.

"There's no thinking as of now of doing anything drastic towards the tour," Dr. M.V. Sridhar said. "We're awaiting instructions from the BCCI and we're hoping they will communicate something to us today, and as soon as we receive the instructions we will react accordingly."

Sridhar said Harbhajan denies making any racial comments toward Symonds - who has Caribbean heritage and is the only black player on the Australian team.

Not much evidence

"We're very clear that Harbhajan has not said that," Sridhar said. "We feel there's not much evidence to say he said that either."

When asked by waiting media whether he was confident of winning his appeal, Harbhajan nodded his head and said "yes" before boarding the team bus for light exercise and lunch at Bondi.

A similar charge made by the Indian team against Australian spinner Brad Hogg will be heard by Procter ahead of the Perth Test, with Speed reiterating that the ICC had a "zero-tolerance policy on racism".

Symonds was voted player of the match that gave Australia a world record 16th consecutive Test victories, but was involved in three controversies.

On day one, he was given not out on 30 despite later admitting he nicked the ball to the wicketkeeper and went on to post a career-high 162 not out.

On the last day, he appealed for a caught-behind decision against Rahul Dravid and the same umpire, Bucknor, stunningly gave the Indian opener out in a decisive stage of the match.

The racism allegation stems from a confrontation between Symonds and Harbhajan in India's first innings. Symonds had earlier complained of being racially taunted by fans in India during Australia's tour there last October.

India had been due to leave for Canberra on Monday but were instructed not to leave by the BCCI.

The two-day match is due to start tomorrow the Australian capital and Speed said he expected the match would go ahead.

Speed said the ICC would appoint one of its Code of Conduct Commissioners - a group of 16 legally qualified professionals from the Test and associate countries - to hear Harbhajan's case again.

"What the appeal will involve is a rehearing of the evidence that Mike Procter heard on Sunday evening," he said. "That will involve 10 players and officials."

No decision has been made on which commissioner will be selected, or when the appeal will be heard, except that it most likely will be before the Perth Test.

Ill feeling

The ICC appointed its chief referee, former Sri Lanka captain Ranjan Madugalle, to travel to Perth and facilitate meetings with rival captains Ricky Ponting and Anil Kumble.

"His only function will be to work with both of the captains to work as a facilitator to make sure the ill feeling that has evolved between the teams dissipates and that this Test and the next are played within the spirit of the game," Speed said.

India could risk a US$2 million (€1.36 million) fine from the ICC if it refuses to continue playing the tour.