The whole Aussie team needs to stand up got to be lead by the captain. Sledging will never stop on the field and in the heat of battle things will be said that shouldn't be broad cast to live TV. Media blow things out of proportion to sell a story. Good to get a win on the board though.

Sledging give it to em .. may the better sledger win . May well be the missing ingredient the team needs to fire them up . Ian Chappell was just on the radio saying it should be stamped out altogether .. if I remember rightly his teammates Lillee , Marsh , Thommo etc played their best cricket with attitude . I remember the crowd chanting L I L L E E on his runup and he'd finish his bowl with the death stare lol . C'mon Aussie .

And has been for ages. If it bothers people, turn the effects mike off.

I agree with Michael Yoni get some kahunas boys. And I dont think Jonathan Trott's decision to leave would have anything to do with sledging, he just has a mental disease and has to deal with that.

Any way you can get an edge out there to get the wicked is fair. I would be unhappy with a Racial comment if heard ( I dont think I would have called Joel Garner or Viv Richard's a Monkey)

On another aspect at what point does it become inappropriate. In the 16yo cricket or amateur.
At the amateur level (suburban turf anyway) there are now by-laws regarding sledging. As a bowler myself I will usually only sledge a batter not a lower order batsmen/bowler let alone bounce them.

(Not sure whats happened with the font here...typed fom phone).

I personally wouldn't sledge...  but I think it's fine, particularly in high level sport.  at such a high level, not only is it a game of skill, but also who has the stronger mind.  if this can help break the other team, then go for it.

loving the sledging and the cricket at the moment, what a cracker of comment by clarke "get ready for a $%# broken arm, thats brilliant.

as they have said been in the game forever, just more microphones these days, imagine what warny, gilly and haydos would have said behind the stumps back in the day

cant wait to get the wacca, il be sledging from row 30, you might catch me on crowd mic.

 With sports like batting in cricket, talent and skill are only part of the game. The players mental state at that time is very important. When a batsman is doing well you can see the confidence in the stroke play, belting balls to the boundary that would normally be played safe. When under pressure his feet turn to lead. We have experienced it or seen others do it.

When the fielding team is on top sledging becomes more pronouned as the batter becomes under more and more pressure. Its part of the game, always has been. Cricket is a psycholigical game. High levels of concentration because one mistake and your gone, rest of the innings sitting down.

The Aussies and all other teams use sledging to get under the skin of batsman. As long as it is not racist its aways going to be hard to say where the line is. Lets face it, its going to be personal.

At the end of the day its a tactic the Aussies used to break the spirit of the Englishman. At least the didnt win by ball tampering, bribing and match fixing

 These teams at the highest level also employ (sports) psychologists as well.

I loved seeing a bit of mongrel coming out of Clarke. Unfortunate that the camera picked up the F bomb, as their would have been children watching. Sledging is part of the game, and most games for that matter.

All I have to say is 'fair bump, play on'.

 If they can't handle it well stiff bickies, grow up.

the arseclown operating the volume on the stump microphone is lining up at centrelink tomorrow

played on a massive aboriginal bloke in Toowoomba qld (he was in the fire brigade) , start of the game he shook my hand and "stay out of my way white feller " I gulped and said " I will try to" he was the nicest bloke of the field but when he crossed the boundary line he turned into nasty piece of work (he was the full back and I was the full forward ) don't think I got a kick that day he had got me just with that little sledge, what hurt was my great grandmother was aboriginal

 I love that a west aussie quick served it up to the poms with good old fashioned fast bowling aimed at the body with a real intent to hurt.  Best thing for the first test in the ashes.  The poms dished up wickets that suited their swing bowlers. Now we dish up fast bouncey wickets where batsmen can get hurt....

and let them know it, verbally and with the ball.

Smash those poms!

That first test was great cricket. sledging has and will be always part of the game. let them go at it. its what we all want to see. Bring on the second test

 Grown men that can't handle a bit of banter and name calling!!!

geeeeez maybe they shouldn't be playing cricket but working behind a check out at Woolies!!!

Same ol same ol. Sledging in sport, and the media continuing to feed the sheep with crap

you cant beat these 2 IMO

 Mark Waugh & James Ormond.
James Ormond came out to bat in a match with Australia. Mark Waugh, at slip, let rip: "What are you doing out here? You're too shit to play for England!" Ormond replied: "Maybe so, but at least I'm the best player in my family".


 Viv Richards & Greg Thomas.
In a county match in England, Thomas was bowling to Richards and getting a few to whizz past the bat. After Richards played and missed another one, Thomas said: "It's red, it's round. Now fucken hit it!". This obviously angered Richards who proceeded to hit the next ball out of the ground. Richards: "You know what it looks like now go and get it."