In what conceivable way was Michael Clarke "within his rights" to harangue the Umpires as he did (as Michael Vaughan has claimed in the Daily Telegraph) ? Clarke was supported on the field of play by other Australian players who as a group were borderline threatening?
The Bad Light rule is a mess. But it is clear. It is the Umpires decision. Not the batsmen. And certainly not the fielding side. Neither side has behaved consistently well throughout this bad-tempered Ashes series. But Clarke had no right at all physically and verbally to put pressure on the Umpires as he did. It denied the crowd an exciting finish and I'm not surprised that the Australian Captain was booed at the presentation ceremony. I didn't stay but packed my bags and left The Oval in disgust.
Clarke when from Hero (a sporting declaration) to Zero (his mean spiritedness) in a couple of hours. Whither the "Spirit of Cricket" now?
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