Michael Clarke dismisses cheating claims of Ian Botham
Australian Captain, Michael http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Clarke-c51120 has dismissed the cheating claims of Ian Botham that Phil Hughes tried to fake a catch of Alastair Cook and tried to intentionally stop him from scoring a hundred on the third day of the Sydney Test. The current Sydney
Test has been a bit unlucky one for the Australian team as number of chances of the English batsmen did not go into their favor. The Sydney Test gave the English spectators another spectacular display of batting as Alastair Cook managed another splendid century
in the Ashes series.
Cook has been in supreme form in the Ashes series and so far he has managed more than 700 runs in the series. But his innings of 189 was sparked with some controversy as Cook was given a life by the fielder at the score 99. At the score of 99, Cook had
to face an anxious moment when he was caught at short leg by Phil Hughes. The replays suggested that the ball had bounced just in front of Phil Hughes and in the end the third umpire had to give the decision in batsman’s favor. Ian Botham, who is one of the
commentators for Sky Sports, criticized Hughes and declared that Hughes had an idea that the ball had bounced just before him.
All this was a bit too much to handle for Michael Clarke and he came forward to criticize Botham's remarks to a large extent. Michael Clarke defended Phil Hughes and labeled Botham’s remarks as harsh. Clarke said that he can guarantee that Phil Hughes is
not a cheat. Catching is one area which holds great importance in cricket and sometimes fielders are too much caught in the game that they become quite unsure that whether they have caught the ball cleanly or not. Same was the case with Hughes as he did not
have enough time to judge that whether he has caught the ball cleanly or not.
Michael Clarke further said that Phil Hughes was not sure that whether he has taken the catch cleanly or not and he should be given the benefit of the doubt. Clarke further said that Hughes is an honest person and to call him cheat is quite unfair. Michael
Clarke was of the view that it was good that the decision was referred to the third umpire as he made the right decision in the end.
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