Martin Crowe slams `thuggish` Warner over `speak English` incident with Rohit Sharma

David WarnerSydney, Jan 19 - New Zealand cricket great Martin Crowe has slammed 'childish' David Warner for his 'thuggish behaviour' after the Australian opener got engaged in a slanging match with Rohit Sharma and demanded that the Indian should 'speak English' during Australia's second ODI win in Tri-Series.

Tempers were on a high during Australia's four-wicket win against India in the second ODI of the tri-series at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday when Warner demanded that Sharma speaks English instead of his native Hindi.

The incident was sparked after India ran a contentious single off an overthrow the Australians believed came after Warner's return deflected off Sharma, while cricket etiquettes dictates that batsmen do not run when a throw deflects off their body or bat, the Daily Telegraph reported.

Warner claimed that when he went over to say something to Sharma, the Indian batsman sort of said something in their language and he told him to 'speak English,' because, if someone is going to say something, understand that theoretically he cannot speak Hindi.

Warner claimed that he did the polite thing and asked Sharma to speak English, therefore the Indian did and he added that he can't repeat what the batsman said.

A replay supported India's position that it wasn't a deflection and, while Warner admitted that he made a wrong call, he said he wouldn't seek out Sharma to apologise.

Warner was fined 50 per cent of his match fee over the incident by the ICC.

Slamming Warner as juvenile, Crowe said that watching from the luxury of his couch and after hearing numerous accounts from respected cricket people, there is a growing concern that the Australian opener's thuggish behaviour has gone too far.

Crowe claimed that soon one day it would lead to an incident that will sully the game for good, adding that as former Australian skipper Ian Chappell has said often recently, that soon enough someone would get king-hit on a cricket field, he added that Warner might just be the one who gets pinned by someone in retaliation.

Crowe insisted that no one, let alone an umpire, wants to have to reprimand or baby-sit a bunch of boorish, childish adults during play for these ugly spats that are becoming commonplace, but added that they need to.

Crowe insisted that before things escalate, the ICC needs to arm the officials with everything possible to stop the idiots who are ruining the people's enjoyment of the game.

Crowe claimed that his concern in the immediate future would be that Warner would be in the centre of an ugly on-field fight during the upcoming World Cup. (ANI)