Review as Sydney policeman hits fan at cricket

One of Australia's most senior police officers Saturday stood aside from a probe into footage showing an officer repeatedly punching a fan at the Sydney Cricket Ground amid reports it was his son. New South Wales Assistant Police Commissioner Mark Murdoch was the man who launched an internal investigation into the incident, but he has now withdrawn citing conflict of interest, a police statement said. The Seven Network video shows a uniformed New South Wales officer hitting a person at least five times in the stands of the SCG during Wednesday night's Big Bash Twenty20 clash between Sydney Sixers and Perth Scorchers. It was widely reported Saturday the officer was Murdoch's son, although police would only say a relative was involved. "Following vision (footage) from a media organisation being made available to police, an internal review of the incident is now under way," a police spokeswoman said. "Police employ a variety of techniques to achieve compliance and the review will examine whether the techniques used in this instance were appropriate to the situation." Police allege a 39-year-old man refused to leave the ground despite repeated requests to do so. Earlier, Murdoch told Channel Seven that "the video footage, in isolation, doesn't look great". But he said the whole incident needed to be taken in context. "We will allege that he resisted arrest quite violently," he said. The Big Bash is Australia's attempt to create a world-class T20 tournament in the same mould as the Indian Premier League with eight city-based teams, with an emphasis on energy and a fast-paced atmosphere. It has attracted some of T20's big names: Pakistan's Shahid Afridi and Abdul Razzaq, West Indians Chris Gayle and Dwayne Bravo, South African Herschelle Gibbs, as well as enticing Australian great Shane Warne out of retirement.