Bhajji throws back charges

I wasn8217;t called for throwing and I wasn8217;t frustrated.8217;8217; Harbhajan Singh would like to clear up a thing or two about the ...

I wasn8217;t called for throwing and I wasn8217;t frustrated.8217;8217; Harbhajan Singh would like to clear up a thing or two about the controversy in the game against Warwickshire last week, saying he was 8216;8216;disappointed8217;8217; with the incorrect reporting on it.

Playing for Surrey, he was no-balled by umpire Peter Willey on the last day of the four-day match against Warwickshire. Apparently Harbhajan bowled a bouncer at Michael Powell and the ball sailed over the batsman and the wicketkeeper over the boundary.

Following a consultation with his partner, the umpire signalled six no-balls. To add to the confusion, the England and Wales Cricket Board confirmed that the bowler was no-balled for throwing adding it was 8220;probably out of frustration and the matter would not be investigated any further.8221;

But Harbhajan disagrees. 8220;First, I was not called for throwing; secondly I was not frustrated. Why would I be frustrated, I was playing a county match and am only trying to get back into rhythm for the new season.8217;8217;

The real reason for the bouncer, he says, was to get the batsman out. 8216;8216;He was not playing any strokes so I pulled fine leg to square leg and placed a midwicket for the pull shot. But the ball missed both and the umpire called six no-balls for the height, not the action.8217;8217;

He8217;s in touch with his India teammates. In fact, the first phone call Sourav Ganguly received after scoring a century against Kent was from Bhajji. 8216;8216;Shabash Dada! Good to see you back in form,8221; he told Ganguly.

8216;8216;It is so good to see him getting runs again. It8217;s a matter of time before Dada will be back in action. After all a man who has been so successful cannot be counted out so easily8217;8217;, he said. 8216;8216;We keep talking regularly and he keeps checking how I8217;m bowling and adapting to the conditions.8217;8217;

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He also says it was a challenge bowling to Irfan in the match against Middlesex. 8216;8216;He is a very good batsman because he has a lot of patience. He can leave the ball, has time to play his shots and doesn8217;t hit too much. The moment he decided to hit me, he got out.8217;8217;