Australian skipper Ricky Ponting and his star paceman Brett Lee clashed on field in India as their team faced defeat in the second Test in Mohali, reports said on Tuesday.Ponting sparked an outburst from the fast bowler on the fourth day of the Test on Monday when he used all other bowlers except Lee in the session before lunch, Australian media said.
The Sydney Morning Herald, which also carried a front-page story headlined "How very disaPonting... Aussies crack under pressure" on the team's dismal hope of winning the Test, said Lee's clash with his captain was very uncharacteristic of the paceman.
But it added that when all other bowlers were given a crack at the Indian batsmen, it became too much and he vented his frustration.
"By chance his captain was fielding a few yards away and Lee took the chance to remind him that he was fit, eager and had in his time claimed a few scalps -- more than the rest put together, as a matter of fact," the paper said.
Lee is the only experienced Test bowler in Australia's beleaguered team and told Ponting he was unhappy at being repeatedly passed over, The Australian said.
"Ponting walked across from cover in what became an increasingly animated conversation as the captain stood with his arms out and his palms up," it said in a report from Mohali.
When Ponting later tried to talk to Lee, the fast bowler kept walking away from his captain, it added.
Australia are facing defeat in the second Test after losing their top five batsmen for just 10 runs on the fourth day against India and chasing a daunting victory target of 516.
At the close of play Monday, the number one side in the world needed 375 more runs with five wickets in hand to stop India from going 1-0 up in the series for the Border-Gavaskar trophy.
The first Test in Bangalore ended in a draw.
No comments:
Post a Comment