India's Harbhajan cleared of racial abuse charge

Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh was cleared Tuesday of a racial abuse charge at an appeal hearing in Adelaide, the International Cricket Council said.
 
The charge of racially abusing Australia's Andrew Symonds during the acrimonious Sydney Test earlier this month was downgraded to one of general abuse, a spokesman for the world body told reporters in Adelaide.
 
Harbhajan pleaded guilty to the lesser charge and was fined 50 percent of his match fee by New Zealand High Court judge John Hansen, said the ICC spokesman, Sami-ul-Hasan.