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Ponting in drunken brawl

Touring Aussie cricketer Ricky Ponting was, on the night of March 22, eviced from a central Calcutta hotel after a drunken brawl in the discotheque.

Ponting and a friend went to the disco around midnight. A party involving several Indian cricketers and film stars was on. Ponting, who was there on invitation, was reportedly inebriated, and began misbehaving with women members of the party, before insisting on dancing alone, which was against the rules of the disco.

When hotel staff requested the cricketer to restrain hinmself, the Aussie batsman assaulted a member of the security staff. An argument ensued which turned into a brawl. When things threatened to go out of hand, Ponting was shown the door, with security staff pushing him and his friend into a car and having them taken back to their hotel room.

Ponting later alleged that he was beaten up, though eyewitnesses told a different story. The police had already been sent for, but the duo left before the cops arrived.

No case has been registered.