LONDON, (Reuters) – Australia coach Darren Lehmann has apologised to Stuart Broad for accusing him of cheating, the England all-rounder said yesterday.
In an interview with an Australian radio station Lehmann attacked Broad for not ‘walking’ during the first Ashes test in Nottingham last month, for which he was fined 20 percent of his match fee by the International Cricket Council.
He accused Broad of “blatant cheating” and called on Australia’s fans to send him home from the return Ashes series later this year in tears.
“Spoke to Darren Lehmann last night. He apologised for his comments, I accepted it. He said they were made in jest,” Broad said on his Twitter account.
The all-rounder edged a ball from spinner Ashton Agar that was caught at first slip by Michael Clarke, via wicketkeeper Brad Haddin’s gloves, but he did not walk after umpire Aleem Dar gave him not out.
Australia had already used up all their reviews and were unable to challenge the decision. Broad later admitted hitting the ball.
Lehmann, who took over as coach just before the start of the series, said he would learn from the controversy.
“I’ve had a chat with him already. We just move on,” he told a news conference the day after the fifth and final test at The Oval ended in a draw. “It was a good learning curve for a new coach, wasn’t it?
“You know, it was a jovial setting but you’ve got to learn from that. The players aren’t on their own in trying to improve, coaches have got to improve so that’s something I’ve got to get better at.”
Lehmann added that Australia were likely to have a more settled batting lineup for the return series which begins in Brisbane on Nov. 21.
The selectors came under fire for regularly changing the top seven during the series that England won 3-0. Shane Watson batted as an opener and at numbers three, four and six at various stages.
“When we get our side for the first test match, our batting seven, that will be the side for the first couple at least,” Lehmann said.
“We’ll be pretty settled in Australia, knowing the conditions really well.”
