Aussies would never forfeit: Buchanan - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

Aussies would never forfeit: Buchanan

By Jim Morton 23/08/2006 06:04:17 PM Comments (0)

Coach John Buchanan says Australia would never follow Pakistan's lead and refuse to continue a Test match.

Buchanan, taking the country's leading 25 players through a four-day bush boot camp near the Sunshine Coast, said it would be unfathomable for an Australian team to end any match through protest.

"We have never done it in the past and I can't see any reason why would want to do it in the future," he said during a rugged hike through the Beerwah State Forest.

"As we know we play the game pretty aggressively but I think we always play it within the rules and the spirit of the game.

"So I don't think that would be part of what we'd be wanting to do, if they're the alleged facts."

Pakistan was deemed to have forfeited the fourth Test against England at The Oval after failing to immediately return to the field after the tea break due to being penalised five runs for ball-tampering by Australian umpire Darrell Hair.

Captain Inzamam-ul-Haq will answer to an International Cricket Council hearing on Friday on charges of bringing the game into disrepute and changing the condition of the ball.

Buchanan said he hoped the ICC swiftly resolved the situation as a drawn-out investigation would further damage the game.

"I don't think it would do cricket any good and it obviously needs to be resolved and a way forward be found, that's certainly in their hands," said the long-time coach.

Captain Ricky Ponting backed Buchanan's comments, saying he couldn't envisage leading the world champions off the field over an umpiring decision.

Ponting felt Inzamam may not be the man to blame, believing coach Bob Woolmer and the Pakistani team manager may have sparked the protest once the players returned to the pavilion well after being slapped with the five-run penalty.

"Who knows how I'd handle it and how the Australian cricket team would handle it in that situation but you'd like to think that we'd be able to do the right thing by the game and by everybody concerned," Ponting said.

Pakistan has threatened never to play under Hair again and has been accused of being a racist and "mini-Hitler" by former captain Imran Khan.

World-breaking leg-spinner Shane Warne, who reluctantly returned home from his English county duties with Hampshire for the army-style team-building exercise, jumped to Hair's defence.

"I don't think Darrell Hair is racist that's the only thing I'll say," said Warne.

"He's not racist he just tries to do the best job he can."

"The times I've had him he's been fine."

Opening batsman Justin Langer said Sunday's events made for a particularly "sad" day in Test cricket's 129-year history.

"As Donald Bradman said we're all custodians of the game and we want to leave it in better shape," Langer said.

"Games like that getting forfeited, we're probably not leaving it in better shape than we first got into it."

Brought to you by AAP AAP © 2024 AAP

0 Comments about this article

Post a comment about this article

Please sign in to leave a comment.
Becoming a member is free and easy, sign up here.

« All sports news