Australian batsman Hayden labels Harbhajan an 'obnoxious weed'

0 Comments | AFP, February, 2008

BRISBANE (AFP) — Outspoken Australian batsman Matthew Hayden has inflamed tensions with the Indian team by calling off-spinner Harbhajan Singh an "obnoxious weed."

Hayden made the statement on Brisbane radio on Tuesday, after the lingering ill feeling between the sides surfaced again in Sunday's tri-series one-dayer at the SCG.

Teenage pacemen Ishant Sharma was fined after a verbal clash with Andrew Symonds on Sunday, the Indians claiming the youngster was provoked by Symonds and lodging a complaint with match referee Jeff Crowe about the "provocative" behaviour of the Australians, particularly towards Harbhajan.

The bad blood stretches back to the second Test in Sydney in January, when Harbhajan was suspended for three matches for racially abusing Symonds,...