Rajasthan Royals Shane Warne and Rajasthan Cricket Association secretary Sanjay Dixit, the protagonists of an argument over the changing of pitches in Jaipur during the IPL, are waiting for the BCCI’s judgement on the issue after a hearing in Mumbai. They appeared before a panel comprising IPL chairman Chirayu Amin, Ravi Shastri and IMG’s legal counsel John Loffhagen, and gave their versions of the incident, which took place after Rajasthan Royals lost to Royal Challengers Bangalore at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium.
“We had a long meeting and the judgement is awaited,” Dixit said. “Our views have been heard by the panel and the hearing was conducted in a very good atmosphere. The proceedings of the hearing are confidential. I am not at liberty to reveal the proceedings.”
Dixit said the hearing was only about the complaint he lodged with the IPL regarding Warne’s alleged misbehaviour. When asked if the RCA was considering filing a criminal complaint against Warne, Dixit said he would wait for the judgement before making a decision. Warne attended the hearing with Sean Morris, Rajasthan’s chief executive, and they left immediately after without speaking to the media.
The RCA had complained to the BCCI and IPL that Warne reportedly abused Dixit after his team’s loss to Bangalore in Jaipur. The pitch used for that game, and the previous one against Chennai Super Kings, was different from the one Warne’s team had enjoyed a strong home advantage on. The Times of India reported that RCA venue director Narendra Joshi had written to IPL’s chief operating officer Sundar Raman, alleging that Warne had publicly abused Dixit by calling him “a liar and egoistic,” and demanded action against Warne.
Since the pitch was changed on May 9, Warne and Dixit have engaged in a war of words that has been fought in public, private and through the media. The hearing in Mumbai followed RCA’s rejection of an apology offered by the Rajasthan franchise, with the state board also threatening further action if the matter was not resolved to its satisfaction. (Cricinfo)
