DETAILS have emerged of a cultural breakdown in Australian cricket with skipper Michael Clarke forced to redress a slew of problems including Test stars being overweight and turning up late to training and team meetings.
In an indictment on some of Cricket Australia's highly-paid elite,
News Limited has obtained detailed examples of conduct breaches that yesterday led to unprecedented action from team hierarchy.
Skipper Michael Clarke and coach Mickey Arthur have defended the axing of the flagrant four, saying it was the final straw following a string of non-alcohol related indiscretions in recent months.
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The pair did not detail other infractions and CA high-performance chief Pat Howard also declined to elaborate when he fronted the media in Brisbane yesterday.
But
News Limited can today reveal the precise nature of general tardiness that prompted Clarke and Arthur to take action.
They include players:
SHOWING up late for team meetings and training sessions;
MISSING medical and physiotherapy appointments;
SLEEPING in and holding up the team bus;
WEARING the wrong uniforms;
FAILING to consistently complete CA health and well-being forms;
RECORDING fluctuating skin-folds, with some players deemed overweight.
The exact offenders are not known, but Clarke and Arthur became increasingly fed-up with the minor breaches they believe are undermining Australian cricket's professional standards.
Former Test stars have blasted the hardline stance. But it is hard to imagine ex-captains Mark Taylor, Steve Waugh or Ricky Ponting tolerating teammates being late to training and formal meetings during Australia's reign over world cricket.
Dumped paceman James Pattinson yesterday admitted his demotion with Shane Watson, Mitchell Johnson and Usman Khawaja was the culmination of on-going conduct issues.
"We have had a few issues in the team, ones that I don't really want to go into but it builds up and it is the final straw so to speak," he said. "We need to send a message to the team, not just myself but everyone else.
Underlining the attitudinal issues, Australian hierarchy had become so conditioned to players not completing a 'wellness' form they were taken aback when every member submitted one over the weekend.
In recognition of the squad's youth, Clarke and Arthur had previously overlooked the breaches. But after two dismal Test showings against India, concerns grew that flagging off-field cultural standards, however minor, were damaging on-field performance.