Aussies turn on their under-fire team

With the fall-out from the second Test of the so-called 'Bollyline' series against India raging on unchecked, the host captain found himself catapulted into the eye of the storm.

While Harbhajan Singh's alleged racist 'monkey' taunt aimed at Andrew Symonds has been the catalyst for a sudden crisis in the international game, Ponting and his team are also in the firing line.

It appears that although Australians love a winner, they are beginning to tire of the sight of their winners in whites behaving in an overtly aggressive and confrontational manner.

The home side snatched victory in Sydney on the strength of some questionable decisions in their favour and relentless, often dubious appealing.

With the usual dose of sledging thrown in for good measure, their own public have finally turned on them.

After ex- Somerset captain, Peter Roebuck — now a cricket writer Down Under — urged Cricket Australia to sack Ponting, a poll in the Sydney Morning Herald has revealed that 60 per cent of respondents agree. Furthermore, some 43 per cent of more than 50,000 people who responded derided their own national team as one that can 'dish it out, but can't take it'.

Amid this atmosphere of recrimination, Ponting revealed his parents had been targeted by irate callers.

'There were a few people who rang in the past few days, having a dig,' he said.

Ponting rejected suggestions that he and his side were arrogant but Pakistan coach and former Australia fast bowler Geoff Lawson spoke for many when he said: 'As an ex-Australian player, I was pretty disappointed.

'Perception is everything and the outside world thinks that this Australian team is arrogant.'

So much mud has been hurled at Ponting and Co in the past 48 hours that Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland felt moved to provide shelter from the barrage with an unequivocal defence of the players.

'The Australian team plays tough and uncompromising,' he said. 'Test cricket is what is being played, it is not tiddlywinks.'

Sutherland claimed Ponting had offered to meet his Indian counterpart Anil Kumble ahead of next week's third Test in Perth to iron out any misunderstanding.

He also dismissed fears that the tourists will pull out of the series if Harbhajan's three-Test ban is not overturned.

New Zealand High Court judge John Hansen has been appointed to hear the India spinner's appeal, which ICC chief Malcolm Speed claims may take place before the next Test.

Speed insisted the decision to replace umpire Steve Bucknor with Kiwi Billy Bowden for the Perth Test was a 'diplomatic' measure'.

The 61-year- old was guilty of several decisive errors in Sydney, prompting India to successfully call for his demotion.

However, former Australia fast bowler Glenn McGrath spoke up in defence of the 120-Test veteran, saying: 'I have a lot of respect for the umpires and I think Steve's very good.'