Simpson attacks Australia culture of sledging

Bob Simpson, Australia's former coach, has taken aim at Ricky Ponting and Australia's attitude towards sledging which reminds him "of the behaviour of small children and the bravado they use to disguise their own fallibilities".

"While present-day cricketers promote the need for the spirit of cricket to be adhered to, many of them do not follow in action this norm, which they publicly endorse in words," Simpson said.

"This, of course, not only includes sledging but excessive appealing, disrespecting the umpiring decisions and using their well-paid, generally ghost-written columns to bait opposition teams and players.

"I find all of this rather distasteful and not in the better interests of the game.

Ponting isn't the first (or the last, no doubt) to come under Simpson's scalpel. South Africa's captain Graeme Smith was attacked by Simpson last week who, he felt, had a "wandering mind," advising Smith to lead more "with his bat and less with his mouth".