Fears that NZ crowd will show Clarke no mercy
BY WILL SWANTON
Australian cricketer Mike Hussey insists New Zealand will be stooping to an unacceptable low if they bait Michael Clarke about his relationship dramas when the first test begins at the Basin Reserve on Friday.
Clarke will close a difficult chapter in his personal life this morning when, along with NSW teammates Simon Katich, Steven Smith and Phillip Hughes, he leaves Sydney to join the Australian squad in Wellington.
While the Kiwi players are unlikely to raise the sensitive matter of the end of Clarke's engagement to Lara Bingle, the same cannot be said of the ruthless Kiwi crowds.
This will be a test of tact.
New Zealand crowds take great delight in pouncing on any perceived shortcomings in the Australian players, but if good taste goes out the window and they start getting personal with Clarke, Hussey still believes the 28-year-old is made of stern enough stuff to handle it.
''I'd hope it doesn't come up - that would be a bit below the belt,'' Hussey said.
''It's a personal issue and it's probably going a little bit too far if they do mention anything about that.
''I don't know if it will, we'll have to wait and see. He's such a mentally tough person. One, to deal with the situation he's got at the moment.
''But he's also such a mentally tough cricketer to be able to perform at this level on a consistent basis, particularly with the pressure he has been under. It just shows his mental toughness. I think he'll be fine.
"It's important we don't get caught up in that by-play."
Hussey says his team-mates have spent little time discussing Clarke's personal dramas.
"We want him back as quickly as possible because he is an integral part of our team and a very fine player," Hussey said.
"We want him back and a hundred percent focused on playing well for Australia.
"Hopefully he can get through his issues as quickly as possible and we can have him back.
"But as a group we haven't really spoken about it much at all. We've just tried to focus on the job of playing for Australia and we'll let him deal with all his issues off the field."
Clarke has been subjected to non-stop media attention in Sydney and another scrum of photographers, cameramen and reporters will be waiting when he arrives in Wellington this afternoon.
- © Fairfax NZ News
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Yeah that comment by Hussey is absloutly laughable, about sledging Michael Clarke being below the belt. I can't believe that players like him can actually say that with a serious face, without feeling like, hypocritical, condesending, whining, cry baby little soky babas. I don't personally agree with sledging, and wouldn't personally do it, but if your gonna dish it out, expect to get it back as good as you give, and then when you do get it back, don't go acting like little cry babys, and say that was out of order, below the belt, or complain to the match referee. I hope the entire NZ team and crowds give it to the aussies as much as they can. Correct me if I'm wrong here but I believe it was the aussie team e.g. the waugh twin who started making choo choo noises, when Chris Cairns was batting just after his sister was killed in a train crash, I wonder if Husseys considers that below the belt.
Give-OZ-A-Fair-Go?-YEAHRIGHT
Supposidly...... but....
Wasn't it in 1993, an Australian Team that came over to NZ, and either the team or crowd supporters were giving Chris Carins a bit of lip saying 'choo choo' after his Sister was run over by a train.
Stop making me laugh - now we're taking advice from an Aussie on immature and small-minded actions. Maybe you should get out of Australia's most boring city and see your countryman in action. You might enjoy yourself. Some of the Aussie wrecks I've seen in my time, well they're some of my best mates now. As for Michael, I'm sure he wouldn't be here if he couldn't handle a bit of stick.
Sally #85 must have left some words out - when she said she has "6 aunts and uncles and 21 cousins all living in NZ", what she meant to say was "i have 6 aunts and uncles and 21 cousins all happily married to one another and living in NZ"....bloody aussies!!
stop being such tree-huggers....the guy ONLY broke up with his mrs...plenty of fish in the sea and all that.
man to man i feel for the guy, we've all had break-ups, but for crying out loud lets not be so precious that the debacle that led to it cant be giggled about...the aussies would be the first to whip it out when it suited them.
and alex #75, top post mate...screaming out for soemthing about Lara's strike rate, caught out in the covers, or the tried and true faced a few balls from the memebrs end...and if Sally (#85) sees me as immature and small minded then sorry love i am guilty as charged but having a great time being it.......
We all had fun laughing at Tiger Woods situation so what's the difference here?
I hear the chants directed at John Terry in the EPL is "Same Old Terry, always Cheating". Classic!!!!!!!!
Why are New Zealanders, on the whole, so crass. I have 6 aunts & uncles and 21 cousins who live in New Zealand and every last one of them has a large chip on their shoulder. I don't understand why. I consider New Zealand to be a lovely country which is world renowned for so many things - be proud of your country's achievements without having to put down Australians, the English, Americans etc. It just makes you look immature and small-minded. Take a tip from other countries with small populations but many world achievements(eg the Swedes, the Irish, the Swiss).
Aubrey - you said it all brother. A test of tact, he says. That's rich. The Aussie crowds are the most disgusting bunch of drunken louts you have ever seen. There is nothing they won't stoop to.
Hey Clarky Lara Bingle wants to know ''where the bloody hell are you''
@52 Sam Couldn't agree more mate, the whole Cairns debacle was nonsense. And yes, to sledge a guy for his personal life in this matter is rather bad taste and immature. I'm all for sledging, but keep it clean.
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yep...I changed my mind, that choo choo noise years ago did it. not only the Aussie spectators are racist but the player themselfs are below par when it comes to sledging.