Buchanan calls for revisiting Spirit of Cricket pledge

Sydney, Dec. 22 (ANI): Former Australian coach John Buchanan believes it is time for Ricky Ponting's team to revisit the Spirit of Cricket pledge that was signed during his tenure, and urged Shane Watson not to undo years of hard work and control his emotions.

Buchanan was coach in 2003 when Steve Waugh pledged to improve standards of behaviour by signing the Spirit of Cricket document, and believes it needs to reflect a new team and a new culture following an ill-tempered series against the West Indies during which four Australian players were found guilty of bad behaviour.

Buchanan, a Watson mentor, said the all-rounder, who was fined 15 per cent of his match fee for his overblown celebration of Chris Gayle's wicket, had made a concerted effort to control his emotions and improve his body language.

''My view would have been that he had moved on from there and learnt a lot more about his game and himself. This particular outburst hopefully is an uncharacteristic blemish. Time will only tell as he is placed in more and more situations where his emotions and his responses to those emotions will be tested and will be seen," the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Buchanan, as saying.

Ponting has promised to pull his players into line before the Boxing Day Test against Pakistan.

''One step would be for the group to revisit the Spirit of Cricket. It was a foundation document so the current group may wish to move it in a direction that is more appropriate to themselves," Buchanan said.(ANI)