Australia accused of double walking standards

Michael Atherton believes Australia will be accused of double standards if their walking phase continues alongside appealing for doubtful decisions.

Atherton, who is commentating on the series, said the move opened the team up for "accusations they have been far from consistent on this tour". "It is worse to be a selective walker than a non-walker," Atherton was reported in the Courier-Mail. "After all, selective walking is really just about conning the umpire into believing you are an honest man and so benefiting from such a reputation."

In the second Test Adam Gilchrist, Michael Kasprowicz and Jason Gillespie walked for Australia while Sourav Ganguly and Yuvraj Singh did the same for India.

But Atherton was concerned by the appeal of players in front of the wicket against Virender Sehwag, who was given out lbw despite a clear edge, and questioned why he was not recalled under their fair play agreement. "How far are they prepared to go?" Atherton said. "Or, as Ian Chappell said when I asked him for his reaction, 'Hypocrisy is alive and well.' I was a confirmed non-walker and could easily live with the fact that I was asking an umpire to perform a job he is paid to do. I didn't, and still don't, regard that as cheating."

Ricky Ponting, Steve Waugh and Allan Border believe the decisions even themselves out over a player's career. But David Shepherd praised Kasprowicz, encouraged others to follow and denied the honesty-first policy could make a mockery of an umpire's decision.

Shepherd was about to give Kasprowicz not out after he edged a ball on to his pads and was caught by VVS Laxman. His departure left Shepherd stunned. "I saw Michael Kasprowicz straight after stumps and congratulated him on what he did," Shepherd said. "It's a tremendous thing when a batsman walks. Any batsman who doesn't walk, he knows he is doing the wrong thing."

Shepherd said Test cricketers had an obligation to behave themselves because millions of youngsters were copying them.