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I am the biggest cricket fan in the whole world and I am absolutely disgusted with the way the game has gone in the past couple of years. Ladies and gentlemen, brace yourself as this ride is going to get a little bit bumpy.

The recent controversy between Australia and India is just another case of the Asian monopoly that is hitting this once great sport. It all started with Harbhajan Singh calling Andrew Symonds a 'monkey'. This should have just been yet another chance for Mr Singh to get the media attention he greatly appreciates. Instead, it turned into the most farcical circus since the abandoned test between England and Pakistan in 2005.

Firstly, the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) asked for more time to structure their case (which is understandable). When Harbhajan was indeed charged with a Level 3 breach of the ICC's code of conduct, the BCCI threw a huge hissy fit and said that if Singh wasn't cleared, they would refuse to continue their tour. Subsequently, the Indian team and their coaching staff stayed in Sydney and cancelled their plans to travel to their next match, a tour match in Canberra.

The controversy really started to take off, effigies of Australian captain Ricky Ponting and Andrew Symonds were being burnt in the streets of Mumbai. The complaints also stretched to Steve Bucknor's decision making and, more bafflingly, towards his integrity. India, as Pakistan had done with Darrell Hair in 2005, said that they wanted Bucknor removed from the remainder of the tour. Unsurprisingly the ICC caved to the demands, as they had done with Hair and hung Bucknor out to dry.

Despite international outcry, the ICC have continued to show favourably towards India, calling their measures 'common sense to resolve certain tensions that have arisen'. In the ensuing pandemonium complaints came out from Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Anil Kumble (the Indian captain) about alleged racist remarks made by Aussie spinner Brad Hogg.

Now, the complaint against Hogg has been dropped and the Harbhajan appeal will be held after the series is finished, leaving Singh to play the rest of the matches. The BCCI said they had never had any intention to pull out of the tour. It remains to be seen what exactly will happen with Harbhajan, my guess is a full and complete whitewash where he is found not guilty of making any comments of a racist nature.

I would like to appeal to all cricket fans that it's called a Test match for a reason. It's not meant to be a walk in a park. I know, I've been on the field in 2 myself before. Australia play hard and they sledge hard but it's par for the course.

I hope that the Asian monopolisation of cricket ends soon or it might come to the point where a white man bowling a bouncer is an act of racism. ICC, sort it out, please, for the good of the game that I love.

Learn more about this author, Stephen Culley.
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