Michael Clarke - sledging disgraceful comment

3offTheTee

3offTheTee

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Have always had tremendous respect for Michael Clarke both as a batsman and a person. We go to Australia once a year and usually talks sense.

However when James Anderson came in who has an average of 10ish in Tests, Australia needed 1 wicket and England 1000's of runs to win say:-

"Get ready for a broken arm!"

Realise if is only a game but that was outrageous and brought my opinion of Aussies to a new low
 
Brightens up a dull sport.

There will be plenty of it coming back the other way so I really don't see a problem with it.

I had 5 live in this morning and the commentator was nearly greetin saying "these balls that are being bowled are flying around the batsmens heads, the game is won, there is no need for this".........I could not believe I heard it,it's akin to a war to the vast majority of them as it is with many very proud and competitive sportsman for christ sake.
 
It's poor and shows a distinct lack of class. It will be excused as banter or sledging, but it's not. It's offensive.

As a sportsman you've got to be able to win and lose with a certain grace, if you can't then it shows a lack of character.
 
therod said:
It's poor and shows a distinct lack of class. It will be excused as banter or sledging, but it's not. It's offensive.

As a sportsman you've got to be able to win and lose with a certain grace, if you can't then it shows a lack of charecter.
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This. Absolutely disgraceful behaviour. I think it was Siddle trying to break out of the team huddle, so desperate was he to throw further abuse at the departing batsmen. Time to remove the phrase "It's not cricket" from the English language if that is the standard of behaviour that cricketers exhibit.
 
Dodger said:
Brightens up a dull sport.

There will be plenty of it coming back the other way so I really don't see a problem with it.

I had 5 live in this morning and the commentator was nearly greetin saying "these balls that are being bowled are flying around the batsmens heads, the game is won, there is no need for this".........I could not believe I heard it,it's akin to a war to the vast majority of them as it is with many very proud and competitive sportsman for christ sake.
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If you're that proud & competitive, and any good, then bowl at the stumps and knock them over; isn't that the point of the game? No excuse for bowling that could give someone brain damage anywhere in the order but particularly at tail enders who are least equipped to deal with it.
 
Blue in Munich said:
If you're that proud & competitive, and any good, then bowl at the stumps and knock them over; isn't that the point of the game? No excuse for bowling that could give someone brain damage anywhere in the order but particularly at tail enders who are least equipped to deal with it.
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The umpires and the laws are equipped to deal with dangerous bowling.

You will find most deliveries are aimed not at the stumps but by bowlers looking for the edge or the catch.... It's an easier dismissal than being bowled as for the comment shows a lack of class but from a nation that invented body line and had the laws of the game changed we can't really talk.

I am on no doubt it was said to put doubt in Andersons mind rather than a deliberate threat.

You will also find any decent bowler aims at the chest stroke heart not the head. Simply because that is a bigger target to aim at its easier to get the head out of the way
 
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It's not the bowling for me it's the comment. To wish a fellow pro gets injured is not on.

The intention may be to plant the seed of doubt, but it's done in a humourless, classless way and should be below the captain of the Aussie team.
 
Sportsmanship went out of the game years ago.
Clarke doesn't need to say that sort of thing to anyone at any time on the field.
They all show a distinct lack of class the moment any of them start sledging.
And England do it too, as do SA, NZ and the rest.

If you're better than them, prove it on the field of play by playing the game.

It's similar to gamesmanship in golf, a lack of ettiquette and proof that Professionalism is destroying most games..
 
Presumably the bowler is Australian, forgive them they've been losing at most sports for a good few years now especially to the English so when they finally get ahead they turn into their usual gamesmanship selves

I love Aussies but find them to be very bad winners for the most part
 
Arguably makes Cricket more interesting. A game I played for a lot of years, wish I'd stuck with golf instead. Aussie sportsmen lacking class is nothing new mind.
 
You wouldn't say "I shanked one from there last week" to your fellow competitor in golf just before he hit a shot so why do cricketers get away with it. I wonder what footballers say as they run past each other?
 
srixon 1 said:
You wouldn't say "I shanked one from there last week" to your fellow competitor in golf just before he hit a shot so why do cricketers get away with it. I wonder what footballers say as they run past each other?
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Sledging is not bad. It's an accepted part of the sport.....

I am sure there have been plenty of occasions when microphones have picked stuff up in other sports
 
I'm not sure anyone was actually trying it injure Anderson
 
Blue in Munich said:
And the difference is? Unacceptable that either side, regardless of nationality, should consider it acceptable to try & injure a fellow professional.
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It's not about the difference u obviously don't understand test cricket or Sledging... U have the skipper Sledging one of the opposition top bowlers... Clarke puts up or shuts up
 
If I was bowling like Johnson was, I would definitely be trying to rough up the English bowlers. Not sure many would have been pitched in their half for a while.
 
Scouser said:
Sledging is not bad. It's an accepted part of the sport.....

I am sure there have been plenty of occasions when microphones have picked stuff up in other sports
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Yep. I've no problem with such gamesmanship in the Professional game. Umpires and the Match Referree (abd others) have the power to penalise players when it's deemed to excessive.
 
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