[MERGED] Threads on M. Clarke's honesty & behaviour (re. catches/Chris Gayle in CT 06)

[DesiChap]

'Disbelief' saw Clarke hold ground January 12, 2008 MICHAEL Clarke lingered at the crease and raised India's ire when dismissed during the controversial Sydney Test because of "shock" and "confusion" at getting out, according to Australian coach Tim Nielsen. Clarke's prolonged stay at the crease after being clearly caught at slip in Australia's second innings was one of the major points of contention India had with Australia's sportsmanship, which prompted Anil Kumble's extraordinary post-match attack on the way the home side played the game. The Indian skipper again raised his disappointment with Clarke's actions in a newspaper column for the Hindustan Times newspaper, and also maintained there was "reasonable doubt" over the catch the Australian claimed to dismiss Sourav Ganguly on the dramatic final day. Nielsen said he was completely supportive of Clarke claiming the catch, but admitted his stay at the crease when he was out was something he might have done differently. Nielsen said he had spoken with Clarke about the incident and that the batsman understood his actions had aggrieved India. But he said Clarke was not trying to anger the tourists by staying until umpire Mark Benson sent him on his way, as he was instead disbelieving he was out for a golden duck. "To be honest, he'd been sitting around waiting for a couple of hours, he was dead keen after missing out in the first innings to get some runs and he was shocked and confused and he made the point that `Once he (Benson) gave me out I got off there'," Nielsen said. "I'm sure he wasn't being a smarty-pants about it, it was just a situation where he was very keen to do well, he was in the spotlight and all of a sudden he nicked it to first slip. "He was confused, basically. "In the end he hung around until the umpire gave him out. He was never questioning the fact that was going on, he was just there until the umpire gave him out." Nielsen's explanation has a similar ring to the reason India's Yuvraj Singh was found not guilty of dissent during the first Test in Melbourne, as match referee Mike Procter ruled the batsman was "shocked" at being given out caught behind. Calling contentious catches is one of the topics likely to come up for discussion when Australian captain Ricky Ponting meets Kumble, in the presence of International Cricket Council mediator Ranjan Madugalle, before the third Test, which starts Wednesday at the WACA Ground. Nielsen said he was disappointed India had questioned Clarke's integrity in claiming the catch off Ganguly, as he and the other Australian players were "100 per cent" sure the nick had carried. He was hopeful both sides could renew a pact to accept the fielder's word on contentious catches, and insisted players had too much to lose by claiming a doubtful catch. "If they start playing with those sorts of things they start degrading what 130 years of Test cricket has (meant)," he said. Nielsen said Australia would discuss the fall-out from Sydney as a group before they began preparing for the third Test. He was also confident the involvement of Andrew Symonds and Brad Hogg in racial abuse cases would not pose a distraction. Symonds was central in Harbhajan Singh's three-match ban and could be again called on to provide evidence if and when India's appeal is heard, while Hogg on Monday must answer a case of calling Kumble and Mahendra Singh Dhoni "bastards". AAP http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,23043375-23212,00.html

[DesiChap]

Add this to the list of "dog ate my homework" excuses

[DesiChap]

Yuvraj had hung around because he DID NOT nick it the cheat Clarke edged it to slip and hung around for the umpire to give him out. Bigg difference. They still claim Clarke took the Gangs catch clean. Hmmm care to watch the replay Neilson?

[novpj]

And taking a page of George Bush's book he take offense at being questioned on the catch. Only oz cricketers believe that they play with integrity. Does anyone see similarlity between Ponting's team and the Bush team. Here are a few descriptors - arrogant, ego maniacs, living in a bubble, cheats and liars.

[PatAU]

so? Whats the big deal if he stayed until given out? It is of no consequence and importance. Same as bhajji did when CLEAN bowled by Pitersen!!!!! He even said "**** you".. what kind of sportsmanship is that? You indian monkeys (you claim this is not an insult.. so I can use it) will make any excuse for losing.. even ignore what your own players have done! Blaming everyone else for your own incompetent loss and labeling people cheats is beyond decency in civilized society. India is weak both in cricketing skill and mental ability. Hence their not even able to beat a 3rd rate team in canberra. boo hoo hoo... the world is against you.. get over it, shut up and play better cricket you losers! If you are calling Symonds a monkey because he is black, then hello! most of you are blacker than him.

[PatAU]

And taking a page of George Bush's book he take offense at being questioned on the catch. Only oz cricketers believe that they play with integrity. Does anyone see similarlity between Ponting's team and the Bush team. Here are a few descriptors - arrogant' date=' ego maniacs, living in a bubble, cheats and liars.[/quote'] Liars? Well guess what.. how can ST have heard what bhajji said.. he was at the other side of the pitch.. so it is impossible for him to claim that he knows for sure that bhajji didn't say monkey. Sachin is therefore a lier! Hiding behind a so-called impeccable past. SHAME!

[Donny]

Did the dog also eat Ishant Sharma's homework, Desi ? He did exactly what Clarke did.

Yuvraj had hung around because he DID NOT nick it the cheat Clarke edged it to slip and hung around for the umpire to give him out.

Neither of them are cheats for standing there. What a stupid claim. I mean, really stupid. I don't usually engage in tit for tat claims but surely this about Bhajji and Dhoni is enough to make some in this site climb down from their hypocritical 'cheat' claims about the Aussies. " .. it seems there's hypocrisy afoot — during India's sixth one-day match against England in Jamshedpur in 2006, Indian bowler Harbhajan Singh refused to walk when clearly clean bowled by Kevin Pietersen. When Pietersen enquired about Harbhajan's failure to walk, the spinner fired back a couple of choice words, before finally leaving the field. There's a video included with a warning of the 'strong language' Harbhajan used. "When India played England in the first test at Lord's last year, wicket keeper Mahendra Dhoni attempted to claim Kevin Pietersen's scalp, despite clearly dropping the catch. Pietersen initially walked, but came back to the field when it became clear from replays that Dhoni had falsley claimed the catch." Video included. Link: http://wwos.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=344170 I love Kumble as a cricketer but his naive and regrettable statement after the Sydney Test is already starting to look sheepish.

[The Outsider]

Donny, the Harbhajan incident was roundly criticized by many of us and there was a significant support for the umpire having done the right thing by recalling Pietersen.

[Donny]

Thanks mate. I have no problem with that. I don't paint all in here with the same brush. I did write, "to make some in this site climb down" As you know, there have been some outrageous claims made about Aussie 'cheating' in the Sydney Test. I left it for a while, feeling the heat would die down a bit (and also respecting it's an Indian fansite) but this is 7 days after the Test and there are still references to it. I certainly don't think Bhajji or MSD are cheats in those 2 instances, nor do I think Gangs is for claiming that 'catch' in the '03 WC final. His was more obviously grassed than Pup's but I believe both of them honestly thought they'd taken it cleanly.

[SachDan]

Liars? Well guess what.. how can ST have heard what bhajji said.. he was at the other side of the pitch.. so it is impossible for him to claim that he knows for sure that bhajji didn't say monkey. Sachin is therefore a lier! Hiding behind a so-called impeccable past. SHAME!

So you know he had an impeccable past...why should he lie only for this incident? Anyways a third class Aussie cricket fan calling Sachin a lier won't dent his stature as one of the most respected cricketers.

[SachDan]

@ Donny..u must be having a nice radio. So up to date with the world of cricket :haha:

[The Outsider]

I certainly don't think Bhajji or MSD are cheats in those 2 instances, nor do I think Gangs is for claiming that 'catch' in the '03 WC final. His was more obviously grassed than Pup's but I believe both of them honestly thought they'd taken it cleanly.

I agree calling Clarke a cheat is not right. He did everything in the realms of the rulebook. Didn't hang around after the umpire's decision and claimed a bump catch. Not the best sportsman, but not a cheat either. However, I don't believe either Clarke, Ponting(more so because his palm was literally face down), or Ganguly couldn't tell the ball had grassed.

[Chandan]

Thanks mate. I have no problem with that. I don't paint all in here with the same brush. I did write, "to make some in this site climb down" As you know, there have been some outrageous claims made about Aussie 'cheating' in the Sydney Test. I left it for a while, feeling the heat would die down a bit (and also respecting it's an Indian fansite) but this is 7 days after the Test and there are still references to it. I certainly don't think Bhajji or MSD are cheats in those 2 instances, nor do I think Gangs is for claiming that 'catch' in the '03 WC final. His was more obviously grassed than Pup's but I believe both of them honestly thought they'd taken it cleanly.

The anger is more towards inept umpiring however. You must have noticed that Ganguly's bumped/grassed catch wasn't given out in WC while Pup's was given out without consulting the second or the third umpire. Why do umpires always lean in favour of the Australians? And not only umpires but even the match referee. Did you see McGrath being charged for that Sarwan altercation in WI? It was a much uglier scene than whatever we've ever seen! Yet many of the Indian are charged even if they slightly open their mouth. Australian cricketers have nothing to do with it, but even you would admit that they are not the best of sports bar a few. In India, we have a few bad boys too, but they are exception. In Australian team there are some good guys as well, but they too are exception. That is the only difference.

[Donny]

I don't quite understand the thrust of your last post, Shwetabh. Are you saying Gangs and Dhoni are bad sportsmen ?

[Guest BossBhai]

-- Removed on request of the user --

[The Outsider]

I don't quite understand the thrust of your last post, Shwetabh. Are you saying Gangs and Dhoni are bad sportsmen ?

I have never considered Ganguly a good sportsman. For Dhoni it was a one off incident, so I am willing to give me the benefit of the doubt.

[novpj]

I do think that Aussies cheated in Sydney. No way Clarke can claim that he catched it cleanly without a doubt. All the fair play agreements went out of the window when faced with the opportunity to keep the streak alive. I dont think they planned to cheat but in the heat of the moment they failed and thats what matters since everyone plans to play fair till the game is on the line. Based on what I saw I strongly believe the following a) Aussies did nto walk when they were out b) claimed catches that were were clearly not caught cleanly (Ponting and Clark) and in my books that's cheating. I cal them liars base don what they did aftet the fact eg., Ponting's claim in the press conference that Dhoni's catch was clean or now the coach arguing that Clark had caught Ganguly cleanly. I do agree that its unfair to paint the team with the same brush. To be more precise I think Ponting, Clark, Symonds, Hussey and Gilchrist cheated.

[Ram]

Who are they trying to fool ? Which batsman stand " shocked in disbelief" after edging the ball straight to slip, in the first ball they faced ? Esp if they stand and stare at the umpire, in the hope that he might give it not out. Go sell your stories somewhere else Mr.Nielsen. A main reason why Warne was never made a long-term captain of Aus was his conduct. If Clarke becomes captain of Aus, wonder what sort of spirit he will inculcate. He has a history of shamelessly claiming bump-ball catches, standing around after edging the ball to first slip.

[dial_100]

Chandan what is the point of arguing with someone according to whom the only howler in the Sydney Test was the Pointing lbw ?

:hysterical::hysterical::hysterical:....it is same as Ponting saying that his team is not a cheat...

[Donny]

Who are they trying to fool ? Which batsman stand " shocked in disbelief" after edging the ball straight to slip' date=' in the first ball they faced ? Esp if they stand and stare at the umpire, in the hope that he might give it not out.[/quote'] Ishant Sharma.

He has a history of shamelessly claiming bump-ball catches' date='[/quote'] But when it comes to shamelessly exaggerating, it's ok is it ??