Matthew Hayden has been charged with a breach of Cricket Australia's code of conduct after describing Harbhajan Singh as an "obnoxious little weed".
The Australian opener clashed with the India spinner in the two sides' bitter series down under, and admitted he has had "a bit of a long battle" with him.
But Hayden has been charged for "the public denigration of other players" after the interview on Brisbane radio.
Hayden appeared before a hearing in Melbourne on Wednesday morning.
Hayden and Harbhajan's running feud escalated during the second Test in Sydney last month, when the spinner was accused of making racist remarks to Australia all-rounder Andrew Symonds, the hosts' only mixed race player.
Hayden was a witness in the first hearing against Harbhajan which resulted in a four test ban, though that suspension was later overturned on appeal - after reports India would boycott the rest of the tour if it was upheld - and Harbhajan was fined a portion of his match fee instead for abusive language.
The two players reportedly clashed again on Sunday, when the Indian team accused 94-test veteran Hayden of calling the offspinner "mad boy".
That claim was denied by Hayden, who said: "I called him a bad boy. He took offence to that and I thought that was quite funny. I said, 'Mate you should be flattered, it's a clothing range'."
During a tempestuous tour, 19-year-old bowler Ishant Sharma has also been found guilty of breaching the player's code of conduct after an ugly exchange with Symonds un Sydney on Sunday.
However, India maintain they have been provoked by their hosts.
And Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Niranjan Shah has confirmed India have written a letter to match referee Jeff Crowe complaining about the behaviour of the Australians.
Hayden said his dispute with Harbhajan had been running for years but believes the reason India were complaining so much on this tour was because "they are losing every game they are playing".
"It's been a bit of a long battle with Harbhajan. The first time I ever met him he was the same little obnoxious weed that he is now," stated Hayden.
"His record speaks for itself in cricket. There is a certain line that you can kind of go to and then you know where you push it and he just pushes it all the time."
Hayden also had some advice for teenage fast bowler Sharma, who was fined 15% of his match fee after clashing with Symonds, which prompted India's letter of protest.
"He is just young. I have said to him many times, 'You are 19, take it easy'," added Hayden.
"He is 19, why doesn't he just worry about his bowling for a while? I like the idea of actually getting into the ring (with him). I like that, bring it on."
The BCCI were less than impressed with Hayden's remarks and immediately protested to Cricket Australia.
"We condemn such comments by the Australian players," said chief administrative officer Ratnakar Shetty.
"Our secretary has already communicated our feelings to Cricket Australia. We've advised our players to show restraint but, despite that, if such comments are being made it is really unfair."
Wednesday 27 February 2008
Wednesday 20 February 2008
Ex-MI6 boss denies killing Diana
MI6's former chief has denied that the intelligence service murdered Diana, Princess of Wales.
At the inquest into her death, Sir Richard Dearlove insisted he had not been aware of MI6 assassinating anyone in his 38-year career there.
He denied claims by Harrods boss Mohamed Al Fayed that Diana was killed by MI6 on the orders of Prince Philip.
Mr Al Fayed's son Dodi and driver Henri Paul were also killed in a car crash in Paris in August 1997. Sir Richard told the inquest that this was a "very personal allegation" given his role at the Secret Intelligence Service - otherwise known as MI6 - at the time.
He was MI6's director of operations from 1994 to 1999, and served as head of the agency from 1999 to 2004.
He denied that any assassinations took place under his authority.
'No authorisation'
Ian Burnett QC, for the coroner, asked him: "During the whole of your time in SIS, from 1966 to 2004, were you ever aware of the service assassinating anyone?"
Sir Richard replied: "No, I was not."
He added that the service was legally required to seek authorisation from the Foreign Secretary to carry out any operation which involved breaking the law.
He insisted that the service did not seek any such authorisation regarding the princess in 1997, and any such operation would have been "outside the functions of SIS".
Mr Burnett read sections of the Intelligence Services Commissioner's report from that year which listed all authorisations given to MI6. None related to Princess Diana.
Mr Burnett said: "Are you able to confirm from your own knowledge it follows from what you have said, that no authorisation was sought in respect of any activities concerning Princess Diana?"
Sir Richard replied: "I can absolutely confirm that."
He said that he sat on the SIS board from 1993, giving him access to sensitive material.
This would have meant that he would have been aware of any assassination plot.
'Utterly ridiculous'
Sir Richard added: "I think I can say with confidence from when I became a member of the board of SIS, and from the time when I was deputy head of personnel (from 1984 to 1987), I had a very extensive knowledge of the service."
Asked whether members of the Royal Family had links to MI6, Sir Richard said it was "utterly ridiculous" that Prince Charles and Prince Philip were active members of MI6.
Mr Burnett said: "It is suggested that Prince Philip and the intelligence agencies really run this country and that we are not a Parliamentary democracy."
Sir Richard replied: "I do not want to be flippant, I'm tempted to say I'm flattered, but this is such an absurd allegation that it is difficult to deal with.
"It's completely off the map. I cannot think of any other way of saying it."
He told the hearing he was on holiday in the US when Diana and Dodi were killed.
He added that it was a "mischievous and fanciful allegation" that MI6 could be responsible for a conspiracy in France involving the police, forensic and emergency services.
At the inquest into her death, Sir Richard Dearlove insisted he had not been aware of MI6 assassinating anyone in his 38-year career there.
He denied claims by Harrods boss Mohamed Al Fayed that Diana was killed by MI6 on the orders of Prince Philip.
Mr Al Fayed's son Dodi and driver Henri Paul were also killed in a car crash in Paris in August 1997. Sir Richard told the inquest that this was a "very personal allegation" given his role at the Secret Intelligence Service - otherwise known as MI6 - at the time.
He was MI6's director of operations from 1994 to 1999, and served as head of the agency from 1999 to 2004.
He denied that any assassinations took place under his authority.
'No authorisation'
Ian Burnett QC, for the coroner, asked him: "During the whole of your time in SIS, from 1966 to 2004, were you ever aware of the service assassinating anyone?"
Sir Richard replied: "No, I was not."
He added that the service was legally required to seek authorisation from the Foreign Secretary to carry out any operation which involved breaking the law.
He insisted that the service did not seek any such authorisation regarding the princess in 1997, and any such operation would have been "outside the functions of SIS".
Mr Burnett read sections of the Intelligence Services Commissioner's report from that year which listed all authorisations given to MI6. None related to Princess Diana.
Mr Burnett said: "Are you able to confirm from your own knowledge it follows from what you have said, that no authorisation was sought in respect of any activities concerning Princess Diana?"
Sir Richard replied: "I can absolutely confirm that."
He said that he sat on the SIS board from 1993, giving him access to sensitive material.
This would have meant that he would have been aware of any assassination plot.
'Utterly ridiculous'
Sir Richard added: "I think I can say with confidence from when I became a member of the board of SIS, and from the time when I was deputy head of personnel (from 1984 to 1987), I had a very extensive knowledge of the service."
Asked whether members of the Royal Family had links to MI6, Sir Richard said it was "utterly ridiculous" that Prince Charles and Prince Philip were active members of MI6.
Mr Burnett said: "It is suggested that Prince Philip and the intelligence agencies really run this country and that we are not a Parliamentary democracy."
Sir Richard replied: "I do not want to be flippant, I'm tempted to say I'm flattered, but this is such an absurd allegation that it is difficult to deal with.
"It's completely off the map. I cannot think of any other way of saying it."
He told the hearing he was on holiday in the US when Diana and Dodi were killed.
He added that it was a "mischievous and fanciful allegation" that MI6 could be responsible for a conspiracy in France involving the police, forensic and emergency services.
Sunday 17 February 2008
Hi....
Hiii people....
I'm currently reading The Stone Monkey by Jeffery Deaver. Will post the review soon after finishing it.
Keep posting comments....
I'm currently reading The Stone Monkey by Jeffery Deaver. Will post the review soon after finishing it.
Keep posting comments....
Saturday 16 February 2008
Prasad Nashta Centre
If you are near Bapat Baal school in Sangli and a pleasant aroma of Udupi cuisine hits you, don't start looking here and there....head straight to Prasad Nashta Centre.... undoubtedly the best eating joint I have ever come across....
Now, sitting miles away from Sangli, when I think of the same aroma, it takes me back to my school days, and to all the golden moments of my childhood attached to this Nashta Centre located in the busiest part of the Sangli city.
I don't need to mention the directions to this place... if you are in Gaonbhaag, anybody will be glad to tell you where it is.
It's a very small South Indian eatery, which is extremely crowded in the morning time, and you often need to adjust your plates as the crowd keeps increasing.
And this place has no air about itself.....no chair-table system here....no place for sitting down to eat.... you have to stand and eat... maybe that's why girls don't go there... I hope I'm making no bones about how the place looks like...
Still this place attracts hundreads of Sanglikars everyday.... only because of the unique taste it offers.... which you will hardly find in any other Udupi place...
Starting off with Pohe and Uppit.... they are served in small plates with shev on the top of them. The eatery owner, Swami, will be more than happy to add some sambaar on Pohe if asked. And people who don't like the dryness of pohe prefer to eat it like this. You can ask for some chutney to eat with uppit, and it depends upon Swami's mood whether there is an extra charge for it for you.
And now my most favourite..... Idli sambaar.... !
Prasad serves different sambaars for idli and batata vada.... and both are wonderful !
You can find every vegatable possible in the sambaar made for idli. It's a very mildly spiced thick preparation,flavoured with jaggery and tamarind, and can be called a speciality of this place. The appropriate method of eating idli sambar is taking two idlis in a plate, pouring the sambaar on them, mixing it with spoons, and eating them with chutney.
Previously they used to serve two types of chutneys, ghatta {thick} chutney, and the normal one. I used to love the ghatta chutney, which they have stopped making now. I hope Swami reads this blog and starts making it again !
Vada sambaar is something Prasad Nashta Centre is actually famous for.
Vada is batata vada, and the sambaar for this is extremely spicy, which doesn't have many vegetables in it, and is not half the thick as the sambaar made for idlis. This sambaar is covered with a thick layer of red coloured spicy kat {tadka} which is liked by spicy food lovers like me. The vada is crushed flat in a plate, then sambar and the kat are poured on it. Mixed with the spoons and eaten with chutney and pav, this breakfast is enjoyed more than any misal pav by the Sanglikars.
* I prefer to eat Idlis mixed with both the sambaars. The taste is heavenly which can never be expressed in words.
You get sheera and puri bhaji as well, but they are not that famous.
Despite of the consistent best quality and the taste,surprisingly, the rates at Prasad are cheaper than most of the other breakfast joints.
Shev Pohe - Rs.5/-
Shev Uppit- Rs.5/-
Sheera - Rs.6/-
Idli Sambar - Rs.8/-
Vada Sambar Pav {Single} - 7/-
{Double} - 14/-
Puri bhaaji -Rs. 10/-{not sure}
I've been eating at Prasad since last ten years now.... and the taste is still the same. Rates for Idli and Vada have increased by only Rs.1 . The other rates haven't changed.
I've eaten at numerous South Indian restaurants across Pune and Mumbai.... but not a single one offers the taste like Prasad.
I don't get to go to Sangli that frequently now, but whenever I go there, I don't miss the chance to eat at this great place.
Wanna ask me a question? Shoot a mail at : sameerkulkarni87@gmail.com
Happy eating.... !
Now, sitting miles away from Sangli, when I think of the same aroma, it takes me back to my school days, and to all the golden moments of my childhood attached to this Nashta Centre located in the busiest part of the Sangli city.
I don't need to mention the directions to this place... if you are in Gaonbhaag, anybody will be glad to tell you where it is.
It's a very small South Indian eatery, which is extremely crowded in the morning time, and you often need to adjust your plates as the crowd keeps increasing.
And this place has no air about itself.....no chair-table system here....no place for sitting down to eat.... you have to stand and eat... maybe that's why girls don't go there... I hope I'm making no bones about how the place looks like...
Still this place attracts hundreads of Sanglikars everyday.... only because of the unique taste it offers.... which you will hardly find in any other Udupi place...
Starting off with Pohe and Uppit.... they are served in small plates with shev on the top of them. The eatery owner, Swami, will be more than happy to add some sambaar on Pohe if asked. And people who don't like the dryness of pohe prefer to eat it like this. You can ask for some chutney to eat with uppit, and it depends upon Swami's mood whether there is an extra charge for it for you.
And now my most favourite..... Idli sambaar.... !
Prasad serves different sambaars for idli and batata vada.... and both are wonderful !
You can find every vegatable possible in the sambaar made for idli. It's a very mildly spiced thick preparation,flavoured with jaggery and tamarind, and can be called a speciality of this place. The appropriate method of eating idli sambar is taking two idlis in a plate, pouring the sambaar on them, mixing it with spoons, and eating them with chutney.
Previously they used to serve two types of chutneys, ghatta {thick} chutney, and the normal one. I used to love the ghatta chutney, which they have stopped making now. I hope Swami reads this blog and starts making it again !
Vada sambaar is something Prasad Nashta Centre is actually famous for.
Vada is batata vada, and the sambaar for this is extremely spicy, which doesn't have many vegetables in it, and is not half the thick as the sambaar made for idlis. This sambaar is covered with a thick layer of red coloured spicy kat {tadka} which is liked by spicy food lovers like me. The vada is crushed flat in a plate, then sambar and the kat are poured on it. Mixed with the spoons and eaten with chutney and pav, this breakfast is enjoyed more than any misal pav by the Sanglikars.
* I prefer to eat Idlis mixed with both the sambaars. The taste is heavenly which can never be expressed in words.
You get sheera and puri bhaji as well, but they are not that famous.
Despite of the consistent best quality and the taste,surprisingly, the rates at Prasad are cheaper than most of the other breakfast joints.
Shev Pohe - Rs.5/-
Shev Uppit- Rs.5/-
Sheera - Rs.6/-
Idli Sambar - Rs.8/-
Vada Sambar Pav {Single} - 7/-
{Double} - 14/-
Puri bhaaji -Rs. 10/-{not sure}
I've been eating at Prasad since last ten years now.... and the taste is still the same. Rates for Idli and Vada have increased by only Rs.1 . The other rates haven't changed.
I've eaten at numerous South Indian restaurants across Pune and Mumbai.... but not a single one offers the taste like Prasad.
I don't get to go to Sangli that frequently now, but whenever I go there, I don't miss the chance to eat at this great place.
Wanna ask me a question? Shoot a mail at : sameerkulkarni87@gmail.com
Happy eating.... !
Friday 15 February 2008
About John Grisham....
John Grisham was born in Arkansas in 1955 and received his law degree from Ole Miss in 1981. He specialized in criminal defense in his law practice. John began writing in 1984 and published his first novel "A Time to Kill" in 1988. It was released as a major motion picture in the summer of 1996. All of Grisham's novels have been bestsellers and many will be made into motion pictures.
My favorite book is "The Firm".
His major novels are:
The Last Juror - 2004
Bleachers - 2003
The King of Torts - 2003
The Summons - 2002
Skipping Christmas - 2001
A Painted House - 2001
The Brethren - 2000
The Testament - 1999
The Street Lawyer - 1998
The Partner - 1997
The Runaway Jury - 1996
The Rainmaker - 1995
The Chamber - 1994
The Client - 1993
The Pelican Brief - 1992
The Firm - 1991
A Time to Kill - 1988
My favorite book is "The Firm".
His major novels are:
The Last Juror - 2004
Bleachers - 2003
The King of Torts - 2003
The Summons - 2002
Skipping Christmas - 2001
A Painted House - 2001
The Brethren - 2000
The Testament - 1999
The Street Lawyer - 1998
The Partner - 1997
The Runaway Jury - 1996
The Rainmaker - 1995
The Chamber - 1994
The Client - 1993
The Pelican Brief - 1992
The Firm - 1991
A Time to Kill - 1988
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