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Cricket Australia- News Display - Cricket Australia
Harbhajan Singh has been cleared to play in the upcoming triangular one-day series between Australia, Sri Lanka and India, with his racial vilification charge overturned by an ICC Code of Conduct Appeal.
Harbhajan's initial penalty of three Test matches has been quashed, with the off spinner fined 50 per cent of his match fee from the third Test at the SCG when the incident took place for using abusive language.
New Zealand High Court Judge John Hansen ruled that there was not sufficient evidence to prove an offence under rule 3.3 of the Code of Conduct, which relates to racially insulting behaviour, in Harbhajan's verbal attack on Andrew Symonds.
Harbhajan plead guilty to a level 2.8 offence, which relates to abusive language.
Level Two offences draw anything between a 50 per cent fine and a ban of one Test match of two ODIs. Harbhajan's punishment is at the lower end of the scale. Level Three offences, which match referee Mike Proctor initially found the Indian spinner guilty of, carry an automatic ban.
Audio and video evidence was presented at the trial, while a full explanation of Justice Hansen's decision will be made on Wednesday.
The Commonwealth Bank triangular series will also go ahead, with the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket and India) pleased with the outcome of the hearing.
"My understanding is, but you'd have to have to confirm with the Indians, that the Indian team is now planning to travel to Melbourne for the Twenty20 match on Friday," CA spokesman Peter Young said.
"All parties will move on with the cricket. The game is the important thing," he said.