Sydney: Cricket Australia (CA) chief James Sutherland has thrown his weight behind under-fire skipper Ricky Ponting, saying he played the game in the right spirit during the controversial second Test against India.

Sutherland said it has “always been the Australian way to play the game of cricket hard but fair”.

“Cricket Australia supports the Australian team in its endeavours to play the game as best as they possibly can. Tough and uncompromising is certainly the way in which all Australian teams have played, no matter who has been the captain. And this team under Ricky Ponting is no exception.”

The Australian team has also rallied behind skipper Ricky Ponting, who is facing attacks from the local media and whose removal has been demanded.

“Ricky has got the full support of everyone in our team and probably every cricketer around Australia,” Michael Hussey told reporters.

“I think he is the best captain I have played under. We go out to play the game as hard as we can but also as fairly as we can, and Ricky is very big on that,” he said.

Hussey also said the Australian team had nothing to apologise for, maintaining the now-threatened series had been played in a hard but fair spirit.

Hussey also said that he was “shocked” by Indian captain Anil Kumble’s assertion that only one team was playing in the spirit of cricket.