‘Aussies will not be distracted by controversies’

Mike Hussey believes the spate of controversies and the verbal duels with India will not distract his team when they go into the cricket tri-series finals on Sunday.

Australian batsman Mike Hussey believes the spate of controversies and the verbal duels with India will not distract his team when they go into the cricket tri-series finals on Sunday.

The war of words between the two teams took an ugly turn this week with Australian opener Matthew Hayden calling off-spinner Harbhajan Singh an ‘obnoxious little weed’ and the Indians lodging a written complaint with Match Referee Jeff Crowe against the hosts for their provocative behaviour.

“I think it is important that we don’t let all of the distractions play any part in our mind, if we play on emotion sometimes those distractions can have a detrimental effect on your performance,” Hussey said.

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“So it is important that we just concentrate on our plans, our goals and execute our skills as well as possible.”

Hussey also hoped that Hayden and Andrew Symonds, who have been at the centre of most of these unsavoury episodes, were able to throw the issues out of their minds.

“What I can say is that they are extremely professional cricketers. Extremely mentally tough cricketers, and I am sure they will be able to put any controversy out of their mind and concentrate solely on cricket,” he said.

Police personnel seen to control the situation during a massive protest over the statehood demand and the inclusion of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule, in Leh on Wednesday. (ANI Video Grab)

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