Streaker's dash overruns Clarke sledging

First test, New Zealand v Australia

1 of 2

CRAIG SIMCOX/Dominion Post Zoom

CASTLED: Chris Martin is clean bowled by Mitchell Johnson to end New Zealand's innings on the fifth day of the first cricket test in Wellington.

Greer McDonald

SLEDGING: Cricket fans James "Stocky" Stock (left) and Robbie Lange, from Christchurch.

Related Links

Live scoring

Relevant offers

Cricket

Clubs urged to accept Hagley redevelopment South Africans avoid Hagley embarrassment Approval for Hagley Oval from cricket officials Forgive Proteas' quake jitters - they turned up Prime job not enough to move McGlashan Kane Williamson should skip the short stuff Cricketers' first appeal - no 'big buildings' please Steve Waugh hits out at Ponting reappointment Shane Watson begins bid for a test recall Indian captain MS Dhoni draws a blank

A streaker got the Basin Reserve crowd going today - just in time for Michael Clarke's arrival at the crease.

The fall of Michael Hussey in the afternoon session of the first cricket test today brought Clarke to the wicket and a frisson through the crowd.

The embattled Australian vice-captain's arrival - on the back of a mid-tour trip to Sydney to break off his engagement to celebrity model Lara Bingle - was met with loud cheers and jeers by the crowd of around 4000 people.

Chants included "Where's the ring?", "Ring, ring, ring", "Where the bloody hell are ya?" as well as clapping and loud chants of support for the Black Caps.

Earlier, a large Australian fan base had kept a lid on the threatened Beige Brigade sledging, before the streaker got the crowd going during a morning session dominated by the visitors.

The man, who ran across the field nude with ''Nanna told me not to'' written on his back, dodged four security guards and cleared a picket fence before he successfully made his escape from the ground.

It is believed the man had formed a Facebook group prior to today to gain support for his streak.

Police said the streaker had not been apprehended and only a cursory search would be carried out.

Meanwhile "Team Bingle" were spotted amongst the crowd at the Basin.

The three men, who did not want to be identified, said they decided to dress up as Lara Bingle "soon after the $200,000 ring when down the toilet".

Complete with blonde wigs and fake bling on their wedding fingers, the men had created a number of chants - many of which were x-rated.

An Australian news crew have also spent the day walking around the Basin Reserve ground trying to gauge the sentiments around the Clarke and Bingle issue.

A group of Black Caps supporters had changed their whiteboard to say the journalists were trying to make them say something bad about Clarke.

But the group said he was "a good guy" who did what he needed to do, and other players would face more of a ribbing from the crowd.

A group of 10 cricket fans, who had travelled from Southland, said players such as Mitchell Johnson and Ricky Ponting, were more disliked by the Kiwi public.

"Johnson is an absolute tosser," said Rhys Winter.

Johnson had been involved in a stoush with Kiwi player Scott Styris at a one day match in Napier earlier this month.

The group said they believed sledging the Australians was part of the game, and were hoping to think of a chant about Clarke before he came in to bat.

Cricket fans Robbie Lange and James "Stocky" Stock, both 22, travelled from Christchurch for the Test. They flew into the capital this morning and went straight to The Warehouse to buy a whiteboard which they could use to pen their sledging messages.

 "We came up with one about Bingle and Clarke before everything happened," Stock said.

"'Bingle isn't satisfied with Pup, she wants a real dog'. And we were going to write 'real dog' on our chests."

The pair were prepared to be warned about their sledging tone from Ground staff.

- © Fairfax NZ News