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[Aloo Kashmiri Ul Haq]

lack Caps captain Stephen Fleming has hit out at former team mate Mark Richardson today at Eden Park, calling him 'an idiot' amongst other things after an interview was conducted between the two men before the fourth day's play today.

The transcript of the conversation

Richardson: Ok thanks, good luck.
Fleming: Thanks mate. (Interview ends) Yeah, you're an idiot. That's ridiculous, seriously that's just ridiculous. Two things: You've forgotten who your mates are, some of your comments in the changing room? And the other thing is you're just an idiot talking about scoring rates and picking up the... uh... the tempo of games; you were one of the most boring players to watch and from what I've seen so far in your commentary, it is crap. You're forgetting who your mates are mate; about six months ago you were with us.

The video can be viewed here.
Video originally shown on Willow TV

This was the interview, which prompted the comments from Stephen Fleming:

It starts off with Mark Richardson addressing the commentators.

Mark: "Thankyou Smithy, it is a little damp underfoot out here in the outfield, but rest assured if it clears up soon we can have a full day's play.

Stephen, I realise you're a little underdone in this test, after playing all those one dayers, but can you tell me the real excuse why the Kiwi's have failed with the bat in this game?"

Stephen: "I think failed is a strong word, we came here with a game plan but unfortunately we couldn't stick to it at times and I guess that's what cost us"

Mark: Chuckles off to the side "But I mean, it's as if our batsman have been unable to get back into the swing of test cricket. Is that a fair assumption?"

Stephen: sort of stares at Mark "I think we just have to do the basics of what we know best when it comes to batting. I think at times we have done that well and at times maybe not so well, but we certainly know we have a fight on our hands".

Mark: "And what could be the reason for the slow tempo of the innings? Is it the pitch you think? Is it playing up? Or are our batsman stuck in between the 50 over game and the longer version?"

Flem mumbles a barley audible answer and then he says "thanks mate".

video link - http://www.cricketweb.net/cgi-bin/downloadscentre/load.cgi?http://www.cricketweb.net/FlemingRichardsonNewVideo.asf

article taken from - http://www.cricketweb.net/article.php?CategoryIDAuto=1&NewsIDAuto=1468

[kingcool1432]

LOL  the look on Richardsons was priceless.. applauded 

[devatha]

That was not funny at all. Both the guys were hurt by each other. Fleming hurt by Richardson's commentary. Richardson hurt by Fleming's comments. First, Richardson while doing the commentary should not have ridiculed his own team , which he was part of 6 months ago. Secondly, Fleming should have talked harsh on Richardson personally at some other place, not on the live video telecast.

This reminds me an example of Srinath ridiculing the tactics of Indian team, in his articles in his early days of retirement. Somebody asked John Wright what his feelings are on Srinath's comments. He said "I am happy for Srinath, he is earning some money for ridiculing his own team he was part of, a few months back".

That was a gentleman comment. From then onwards, I observed Srinath reducing the harsh tone of his articles.

[kingcool1432]

That was not funny at all. Both the guys were hurt by each other. Fleming hurt by Richardson's commentary. Richardson hurt by Fleming's comments. First, Richardson while doing the commentary should not have ridiculed his own team , which he was part of 6 months ago. Secondly, Fleming should have talked harsh on Richardson personally at some other place, not on the live video telecast.

This reminds me an example of Srinath ridiculing the tactics of Indian team, in his articles in his early days of retirement. Somebody asked John Wright what his feelings are on Srinath's comments. He said "I am happy for Srinath, he is earning some money for ridiculing his own team he was part of, a few months back".

That was a gentleman comment. From then onwards, I observed Srinath reducing the harsh tone of his articles.

personally i wud say john wrights comment was the more catty one ..

richardson was just trying to do his job, so he cant b faulted.. flemings was just a spur of the moment reaction and cant be faulted.. if anything its the cameramans fault for keeping the camera rolling but cant fault him much either , he prolly thot richardson was a pompous arse too

[ramshorns]

Thanks for the link.  Actually it is the other way around.  Fleming made an absolute idiot of himself, thinking he is off air and going off on his former teammate.  Ofcourse his former teammate is paid to do a job.  Just because he was a part of the team 6 months back does not mean he has to kiss up to his teammates.  What does Fleming expect??Say nice things about his former teammates when it is not warranted and make an absolute idiot in front of the whole world.  It again goes on to prove how sensitive some of these cricketers are and sometimes spoiled.

[RicePlateReddy]

Nice link and priceless conversation. I wish we had a few like this of Ganguly, Dravid and Chappell. The best we got was animated silence with lip reading 

I liked the accusation of Richardson as the most boring batsman. Will anyone challenge that? I think both Fleming and Richardson will be remembered for this incident more than their otherwise unremarkable careers 

I didn't know about the Srinath incident. Wright's words are priceless too. I am ticked off about Srinath's columns. He was a very inconsistent cricketer and was notoriously unfit. Nothong wrong in criticizing and lamenting, but he preaches from the pulpit like some demi god. I will forever blame him for the WC loss against Olonga and Zimbabwe. And his immortal 10-0-87-0 figures against Australia in the last WC final. Ponting and Martyn took him apart in the finals, his last ODI game. The CricInfo player summary captures his weakness very aptly: "Srinath's weak points were his stamina and his fragility under pressure. "

[dhruvdeepak]

this is what ganguly should have done to harsha. i think richardson was asking for it

[senthilpeter]

kop, good point. Srinath is too critical considering what he did when he was around. In addition to what cricinfo says, to me he also had a enormously weak brain... not much plotting and cunning. And for him to constantly criticize team's strategies, captains etc is a joke, cos his brain hasn't gotten bigger or brighter even to this day.

[RicePlateReddy]

kop, good point. Srinath is too critical considering what he did when he was around. In addition to what cricinfo says, to me he also had a enormously weak brain... not much plotting and cunning. And for him to constantly criticize team's strategies, captains etc is a joke, cos his brain hasn't gotten bigger or brighter even to this day.

LOL! Agreed. He did bowl brilliantly at times and amaze the opposition, but overall he seems too average upstairs.

[keep-it-cool]

surprising, no one took JW to task for talking about Srinath and money ... well, I guess owning a printing press does have its advantages!!!