ACB have had enough of blonde tips and sports cars

It's an article written by (not) Henry Lawson. Discard immediately.

I'll show you why Clarke isn't as focused as he could/should be. It's two words that start with 'L' and 'B' - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dWHXTR38Qw Who can blame him?

Yep, MC hasnt really turned out as we had all hoped. But if I had that money when I was that age I would have got a good car as well. It really is just a sign that cricket in Australia is catching up with other sports.

True Tah - again I have no issues with cars, hair dos and tats. My point is I think we can all agree anyone who gets a tat with a current partners name or initials is stupid and immature...? come on we all know it.

Wow, I like that Callum Ferguson has been rewarded - not! - for several months of being our most consistent one-day batsman, all the time scoring at a run per ball while others around him batted slower (e.g. Watson's 116 no off 146 balls the other night, which was an excellent innings but at the same time cost us the match - compare his pace with Ferguson's and Akmal's). At the same time, David Warner and Andrew Symonds have been included on the back of one decent innings in many starts. In short, on form one would have to choose Ferguson ahead of D Hussey, Symonds and Warner. Which of these three to leave out? It wouldn't really bother me. Brett Lee returns before he has proven anything? I guess there are 4 other fast bowlers if this goes wrong. Otherwise the squad is OK. 1.5 mistakes out of 15 is pretty good by the standards of our selectors!

matta and Lefty I think its a bit harsh to get stuck into Clarke about his tattoos, and his sports cars - lets face it, he isnt in the team for his financial acumen or his intelligence, and there are plenty of sports stars around the world who blow their earnings on overpriced motor vehicles. Maybe the ACB is trying to boganise the Australian cricket team, with Clarke and Andrew Symonds, he of the limited vocabulary, in order to broaden its appeal?

And here I was Greg, thinking you never saw that backhanded compliment from a few weeks ago!! The psychologist’s appointment has been booked, by the way... The Australian T20 squad for the WC has been named this afternoon, and Geoff can rest easy that Clarke has held his place, despite the apparently less than "ideal preparation": Ricky Ponting (c), Michael Clarke (v-c), Nathan Bracken, Brad Haddin, Nathan Hauritz, Ben Hilfenhaus, James Hopes, David Hussey, Mike Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Brett Lee, Peter Siddle, Andrew Symonds, David Warner, Shane Watson.

Gosh we're a harsh judge of Batting talent in this country, If elite sportsman don't behave like Steve Waugh or on another scale Matthew Lloyd - all prim and proper like - then they just aren't good enough. I don't think MJ's hair cut or Aston Martin had any effect on the mach winning pertnership he had with Ponting in the first test in SA a few months ago, or the 1 day century a few days ago. Brett McKay nailed it earlier... repeat and rinse what he said

I agree verbatim with Brett McKay's (first) comment, and I couldn't have put it better myself. This will possibly send Brett to the psychologist's couch, because a few weeks ago he wrote of me: "Greg, I mean this in the nicest possible way, but do you ever tire of being the voice of reason?!?!" And now here he is imitating me! The only place in which I strongly agree with Geoff is where he wrote: "The final match of the UAE tour was only four days later, so it is hard to fathom why the vice captain, cum stand in captain, would not be participating in a finale of 20 overs.... This might sound a tad left field as a suggestion, but by playing the final game of the tour, such as a Twenty20 match, that might be the ideal preparation for an international 20 over tournament." This is all true. However we don't know exactly what's going on in Clarke's private life - how is his father's health? (had cancer last year), when is his marriage to Lara?, and so on. I am not suggesting that these things are any of our business. Rather, I am just saying that there may be a perfectly good reason for Clarke to be given a 4-day early mark. As Brett said, this match is hardly one of great importance for Australian cricket.

Papa - spot on. All of this discussion is essentially around one key point "how has the Aussie cricketing elite made most of us think they are flogs?"....It saddens me to say I have very little interest in Cricket anymore. The chip on the shoulder, arrogant, child like spoilt brat attitude of Ponting and co - Sunglasses worn in the airport terminal (do they think they are rock stars) while refusing children's autograph requests - the inability of selectors to make genuine decisions against the bias power brokers...the list goes on but things like this make me actually dislike members of my own national team...Sad isn't it? but I know I am not alone.

it isn't, they are all immature bogan idiots. but only one of them is touted as a leader of one of the worlds most successful pro sporting teams....all I am saying is it goes to show the mindset of the bloke.

Can we stop calling these guys "the NSP"? They're the fricking selectors, for goodness sake, always have and always will be. Why the hell shoudl we endorse their self-originated, lets-make-ourself-sound-more-important TLA.

matta, how is it any differnt to any other guy in his mid-20s getting his fiance's initials as a tat??

I have no problems with his hair, car or girl...but the LB (Lara Bingle) tat he got last year shows that lack of maturity the bloke has..

equalizer, a good mate of mine has some Chinese characters down his shoulder, which he claims translates to "one life, one love". The joke has always been that he'll continue the characters further down his arm, so as to complete the lyrics of the U2 song....

Remember as kids at school someone would slap a "kick me" sign on the back of your shirt. I always wonder what the Japanese/ Chinese characters really say when tattooed on the back. The potential is mind boggling "But I paid for give world peace a go ... " not "this is where I like it... "

We need Clarke, and his Image its good for the game. Its these individual characters that make the sport much loved. I say Hanry has read too much into the early send back of MC.

As far as conspiracy theories go, this one isn't bad. Could it be that it's just Michael Clarke's turn for a rest?? I mean, really, it's a one-off T20I on the end of a series that we have all at different points struggled to see the point of. Is Clarke gettting an early mark from his first tour as captain really that big a deal Geoff?? And what's with the cheap shots?? What does hair styling and choice of transport really have to do with this artcile?? By the way, you mention Haddin's "leading" in the one day series, with him opening the batting. I'd be more interested in your thoughts - as a cricket commentator - on some of Haddin's "soft" dismissals this series, which are starting to become monotonous in their regularity. How many times should someone hit straight catches to mid-on or mid-off before they might consider some remedial work??

BTW, I have just noticed that when Henry penned the article, he used the term "fake blondes" while our faithful Roar Editors changed this to blond tips. I suspect this is an example of the simple difference between the age groups. Henry, I'm with you............. Its fake!!!

could not have put it better myself. I think we have all had enough of the superficial, cosmetic behaviour of highly paid underperforming national sportsmen. Holdens all around. The joke is that Mr Clark doesnt realise the massive drop in values of all Super cars, and in particular, poorly built, idiosyncratic, temperamental Aston Martins. Oh, and completely tax deductible, NOT! Despite his massive earnings, he still cant afford it. He must have a very small "you know what" and feels that he has to placate Lara with a car. Hope she doesnt have a bingle in it!!! Haircuts are a different story. Their "damage" can undone in a month or two. Earrings leave a hole for ever visible for all to see. Ads like the bonds ad where he puts a ball down the front of his jocks last forever. Again, he must have a very small "you know what"!!!