Nathon Lyon Run Out Reaction Shames The Spirit of Cricket: 5 Videos Prove Cricket Is Not A Gentleman's Game For Australia

Australian Cricket team is known to play their game hard. They not only intimidate their opponents on the field by playing aggressive but also get under the skin of opposition players by playing mind games. The most remarkable of Australian players are also known to have indulged in some of the worst sledging and altercations on the cricket field. While Australia's never-say-die attitude and fighting spirit is lauded by all, sometimes they get carried away and indulge in actions that harm Cricket's image as the Gentleman's game.

A similar incident happened in the ongoing 1st Test in Durban in the series between South Africa vs Australia where Nathan Lyon dropped the ball on South African batsman AB de Villiers in an insulting manner after running him out, as can be seen in the video.

Here are five other moments when the actions of Australia's cricketers crossed the boundary of decency. These incidents prove that Cricket is anything but a gentleman's game for the Aussies.

1. Ricky Pointing's Rude Gesture to Jawagal Shrinath

Well, we are sure that Pointing's name can appear several times on this list. The former Australian captain, also one of the most successful in the history of the game, was also one of the game's nastiest characters. His aggression could turn ugly and arrogant in no time. Here's a proof. After former Indian pacer Jawagal Srinath's rising bouncer hit Pointing's helmet rather badly, Srinath, being the gentleman he is, walked up to check if Pointing was fine, what does Pointing do in return? He shoes away Shrinath and tell him to "just go and bowl". Bad behavior, to say the least.

2. Glenn McGrath Threatening Ramnaresh Sarwan 

A champion fast bowler who could trouble even the best batsmen on any pitch, Glenn McGrath could also unleash terrible wrath with his words. This incident between him and West Indies batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan turned downright ugly and it could have even resulted in blows had tempers not been checked by other team mates. Sarwan went on to score a century in the match and West Indies won the test by chasing a mammoth target of 418. Sledging didn't work this time, mate.

3. Dennis Lillee Mocks Pakistan's Attack After Imran Khan Scares Him With His Bouncers 

In this match against Pakistan and legendary pacer Imran Khan, Dennis Lillee started huffing and puffing once Imran started bowling his lethal bouncers. At the end, he also started dancing which led the commentator to remark that "Wonder which disco he is going to practice that in."

4. Mitchell Johnson's Desperate Throwback to Virat Kohli 

Virat Kohli was batting brilliantly in this test and the competition between him and Kohli was spicing up the test. However, after Kohli hit a shot straight to Johnson, Johnson threw the ball back which seemed to be aimed at Kohli instead of the stumps. Not the one to back out, Kohli went on to score a century and gave Johnson a piece of his mind too.

5. Ricky Pointing Fighting the Umpires

We started the list with Pointing and we are ending it with him. After Kevin Pietersen was given not out, Pointing went upstairs with his appeal. When the third umpire gave Pietersen not out too, Pointing became furious and started an argument with the umpires which never seemed to end.

Australia may be a champion team but it will only help their image if they can refrain from such unnecessary actions. After all, there is a line between aggression and arrogance which is a thin one. Australia needs to know where that line is and mark their crease to play fair and gracefully.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 05, 2018 01:38 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).