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Don't blame Martyn for push: Ponting

Source: ABC Sport - November 9, 2006

Australian captain Ricky Ponting said team-mate Damien Martyn should not be punished for pushing Indian cricket chief Sharad Pawar during the presentation ceremony at Champions Trophy final in Mumbai.

Indian media heavily criticised the Australian team over the incident, which saw Martyn gently push Mr Pawar out of the way as the Australians celebrated.

Ponting said Martyn had apologised and the matter should be laid to rest.

"If his apology is accepted on the other side of the world in India and just reading between the lines of what Mr Pawar has had to say it appears that he hasn't been too offended by it all anyway which is a good sign for all of us," he said.

"Hopefully we can get on with things and we can concentrate on what we did which was win the Champions Trophy which is a great effort and obviously look forward to the Ashes."

Ponting said he had tried to contact Mr Pawar to discuss the controversy.

Ponting said the team wants to make it clear that it did not mean to offend anyone during celebrations after their victory over the West Indies and has already offered to apologise.

"I have actually tried to be in touch with Mr Pawar over the last couple of days," Ponting said.

"[I've] made about a dozen phone calls trying to get my side of the story across to him and just let him know that no offence was intended whatsoever.

We all probably just got caught up in the emotion.