Sreesanth angers Indian media

Published October 4, 2007

NEW DELHI, Oct 3: Indian media on Wednesday condemned fast bowler Shanthakumaran Sreesanth’s on-field tantrums after he clashed with Australian batsmen, saying there was a “thin line between aggression and antics.”

Sreesanth clashed repeatedly with the batsmen during Tuesday’s second One-day International in Kochi and even appealed for a run-out against Andrew Symonds after the ball was ruled dead.

The bowler ran up to striker Brad Haddin’s feet to collect a ball that bounced off the batsman’s pad and eye-balled him inches from his nose.

Non-striker Symonds left his crease to have a word with Sreesanth who promptly dislodged the bails and continued to appeal for a run-out even though umpire Suresh Shastri ruled it a ‘dead’ ball.

Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni prevented the situation from turning ugly by persuading Sreesanth to get on with the game, but the local media was unimpressed.

“Sreesanth’s on-field behaviour made little sense,” wrote the Hindu newspaper. —AFP