India: Australia spat continues

Matthew Hayden has described Harbhajan Singh as an "obnoxious little weed" in the latest in a long line of spats which have afflicted India's tour of Australia.

Australia batsman Hayden clashed with Harbhajan in Sunday's one-day international at the SCG with the Indians claiming he had called the spinner a "mad boy", and Hayden insisted he called Harbhajan a "bad boy" but went on to blast the Indian, who was charged but later cleared of racially abusing Andrew Symonds in the second Test.

"It's been a bit of a long battle with Harbhajan. The first time I ever met him he was the same little obnoxious weed that he is now," Hayden said on Brisbane radio. "His record speaks for itself in cricket. There is a certain line that you can kind of go to and then you know where you push it and he just pushes it all the time."

He added: "That's why he has been charged more than anyone that's ever played in the history of cricket."

Hayden's comments come after India confirmed they had written to Sunday's match referee Jeff Crowe asking him to look into the "provocative" behaviour of the Australia players.

"We are not cry babies but obviously we can't allow our players to be regularly sledged," India team manager Vimal Soni said.

However, Hayden played down his clash with Harbhajan.

"I called him a bad boy," Hayden insisted. "He took offence to that and I thought that was quite funny. I said, 'Mate you should be flattered, it's a clothing range'."