Aussies arrogant, need counselling: Pak coach

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It's not only the Indians who feel that the current Australian cricket team is arrogant. Even a former Aussie player believes that the players don't play in the spirit of the game and they need "counselling".

According to Geoff Lawson, the Australians are considered to be "arrogant" by the rest of the cricket world and it's time that the players behave properly on and off the cricket pitch.

Lawson, currently coaching the Pakistan team, has also claimed that the Australians did not play within the spirit of the game in their 122-run second Test win over India at the Sydney Cricket Ground last week.

"There's certainly been a lot of feeling from ex-players who think the baggy green has been disrespected. Some of these (current) players need to be spoken to. I certainly don't agree with dragging (Ricky) Ponting's captaincy, I just think a bit of counselling needs to be done with how these players perceive themselves.

"As an ex-Australian player I was pretty disappointed. Perception is everything and the outside world thinks that this Australian team is arrogant and not well behaved.

"Whether the team themselves think that is another issue, but I can guarantee you the rest of the cricket world certainly feel that about this cricket team," The Daily Telegraph in Sydney quoted Lawson as saying.

Appreciating the International Cricket Council's handling of the current crisis, Lawson said that the panel made a "common sense solution" in sacking umpire Steve Bucknor from the third Test in Perth.

However, he believes the fallout from the Harbhajan Singh racism charge and the subsequent allegations of on-field verbal abuse by Australia's Brad Hogg could change the cricketing landscape.

Lawson said the tit-for-tat nature of the sledging allegations could open the floodgates to match referee charges and lead to the end of all on-field banter. "Maybe this is a bit of a watershed in what is said on the field.