Monday 25 November 2013

Cricket. Michael Clarke fined for 'broken arm'

Michael Clarke and James Anderson
Australia captain Michael Clarke has been fined 20% of his match fee for warning England's James Anderson to expect a broken arm.
He was found guilty of breaching the International Cricket Council (ICC) code of conduct for using language or a gesture that is obscene or insulting.
Clarke, 32, used an obscenity which was picked up by the stump microphone.
It was one of several flash points in a bad-tempered first Test as the hosts recorded a 381-run victory in Brisbane.
Anderson was preparing to face fast bowler Mitchell Johnson.
But Australia coach Darren Lehmann says his side will stay aggressive.


England have scared eyes - Warner
"I like our boys being aggressive as long as they don't cross the line," he said.
"I certainly like to play hard cricket. I've no problems with that at all.
"It's always going to be hard-fought between Australia and England. It certainly was in England; that's not changing here."
Clarke, who was also found to have made inappropriate gestures to Anderson, defended his sledging after the game, dismissing it as "banter".
He said: "Through my career, there has always been banter on the cricket field and I cop as much as I give, that's for sure.
"All the England players know we certainly respect them. I've heard a lot worse said on a cricket field than what the Australia players or the England players said throughout this Test match."
In addition to Clarke's comments to Anderson, opener David Warner was criticised for being "disrespectful" by England captain Alastair Cook.
Warner upset England with comments about batsman Jonathan Trott, whose dismissal in the second innings in Brisbane he described as "poor and weak".
"David Warner has the X-factor," said 43-year-old Lehmann. "He has an opinion. If he has crossed the line, the ICC will deal with it."
The ICC has, however, taken a dim view of Clarke's comments, which were reported by umpire Kumar Dharmasena and third umpire Marais Erasmus.
In a statement the ICC said: "Clarke was found to have breached Article 2.1.4 of the ICC Code of Conduct which relates to 'using language or a gesture that is obscene, offensive or insulting during an international match'.
Lehmann, who made 27 Test appearances between 1998 and 2004, says the hosts will also continue to attack with bat and ball.


Warner comments disrespectful - Cook
Johnson was named man of the match after taking nine wickets, while England off-spinner Graeme Swann came in for some particularly rough treatment as Australia's batsmen plundered him for more than 200 runs.
"Mitchell bowled beautifully here. He was aggressive, he had bounce, he had confidence coming in, so I was really impressed," said Lehmann.
"He's always going to be occasionally wayward. You accept that. I think that's the key - you don't worry about that. You know when he's good, he's good and exciting, like he was in this Test match."
On Swann, he added: "He will come with different plans because he's a world-class bowler and we've got to come up with plans again.
"We played him well this Test match and that's what we're going to keep on doing.
"I'm really proud of the way the team played, and that they attacked the game, so they should enjoy it."

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