ADELAIDE, Australia (AP):

Australia reacted with dismay and India with vindication to the exoneration of spinner Harbhajan Singh on racial abuse charges.

The reversal of the Indian bowler's initial three-Test ban was heavily criticized in Australia yesterday as a blatant demonstration of India's financial power in world cricket.

Australian newspapers claimed Cricket Australia and the Inter-national Cricket Council acted under duress of India's threats of pulling out of its tour unless Harbhajan was cleared.

As recently as Monday a Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) official said India would abandon the limited-overs section of its Australian tour, scheduled to start on February 3, if Harbhajan's appeal did not succeed. Australian newspapers reported yesterday that India had gone as far as chartering a plane to fly its team home if the appeal hearing did not clear its player.

It was also reported that Cricket Australia faced being sued for up to 60 million Australian dollars (US$53.2 million) by broadcasters who held the rights to televise tour matches in India.

Harbhajan pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of abusive language and was fined about A$3,000 (US$2,665) or 50 per cent of his match fee from the Sydney Test, in which he was alleged to have called Australian allrounder Andrew Symonds, who is of West Indian descent, a "monkey.''

The front page of The Times of India played with the abusive term in its headline - "Monkey off Bhajji's back''.

Not acceptable

BCCI president, Sharad Pawar, welcomed the verdict, saying a racism charge against an Indian player was not acceptable.

"The judge has given the right verdict, it was impossible for us to accept a racial charge against any of our players,'' Pawar said.

"Full marks to the Indian cricket board for backing Harbhajan,'' said chief selector and former captain Dilip Vengsarkar, who was critical of Proctor.

"Proctor has not done his duty properly, I would like to know what action has been taken against him,'' Vengsarkar said.

In The Australian newspaper, Peter Lalor wrote that India had "pulled out every stop'' to ensure the ICC and Cricket Australia "caved in'' to its demands.

"India, the team that bleated about the spirit of cricket after being beaten in Sydney, has again held a gun to the game's head and had its demands met,'' he said.

The Australian national newspaper, in an article headlined 'Cricket's Day of Shame', quoted an unnamed Australian player as saying: "The thing that (annoys us) is that it shows how much power India has. The Aussie guys aren't going to make it up. The players are frustrated because this shows how much influence India has, because of the wealth they generate. Money talks.''

India has become the financial power in world cricket, generating massive broadcasting and sponsorship revenues which support the international game. The ICC has been seen to have bowed to Indian pressure in several recent decisions, including the removal of umpire Steve Bucknor from the recent Test series, following India's objections.

It also followed on from the ICC's decision to end the umpiring career of Australian Darrell Hair after objections to his decisions by Pakistan.