After frightening batters with fast bowling during a 73-Test career, Mitchell Johnson has approached his newspaper columns with the same energy. In an extraordinary piece in The West Australian, Johnson unloaded on former Australian teammate David Warner's bid to end his Test career in front of home fans at the SCG, bringing up the ball-tampering saga and arguing "Bunnings would sell out of sandpaper". Johnson later admitted the column was personal after Warner sent him a "pretty bad" text message in April.Â
* Ian Chappell-Ian Botham
This feud has been running for almost 50 years and shows no sign of easing up. The former Australia and England captains had an argument in a Melbourne bar in 1977 and have been mortal enemies ever since. A film crew recently attempted to patch up the relationship. But in the documentary that was released earlier this year, the Ashes heroes made it clear they would never like each other in a hilariously petulant display from men aged 80 and 68 respectively.
* Kevin Pietersen-Andrew Strauss
One of the most entertaining batters of the 2000s, England star Pietersen was accused of giving tips to the opposition about how to get his own captain, Andrew Strauss, out. Pietersen denied feeding the Proteas information about his fellow South African-born teammate, but Strauss is certain it happened. Pietersen was dropped by England for the alleged betrayal, only returning to the international set-up after Strauss retired. In 2014, Strauss, thinking he was off-air, called Pietersen "an absolute c***" in commentary.
* Steve Waugh-Shane Warne
The two SWs' once-tight relationship never recovered after Warne was dropped in the West Indies in 1999, Waugh's first series as Test captain. Warne repeatedly called his Australian teammate the "most selfish cricketer" he ever played with and constantly derided the elevation in importance of the Baggy Green under Waugh's leadership. Waugh paid a touching tribute to Warne, posting a photo of them holding the 1999 World Cup trophy together, after the legendary legspinner's sudden death in 2022.
* Dean Jones-Merv Hughes
It was inconceivable two of the most popular Australian cricketers, who were both Victorian, from the late 1980s and early 1990s would fall out. Jones said the pair "were closer than brothers" but a vicious sledging war when they played against each other in a Victorian trial match got out of hand. As Victorian skipper, Jones also effectively ended Hughes's state career. The former teammates barely spoke for 25 years right up until Jones died from a heart attack in 2020.
8°C