Australia's Steven Smith plays a shot on the second day of their third cricket test match against South Africa in Cape Town, March 2, 2014.
Australia's Steven Smith plays a shot on the second day of their third cricket test match against South Africa in Cape Town, March 2, 2014. Mike Hutchings

Jonathan Agnew, BBC cricket correspondent did not conceal his disappointment about the behaviour of players during Australia's home test series versus India. For the renowned cricket correspondent, Australia failed to act what they preach. Most of all, having seen the performance and behaviour of players, it seemed like Australia haven't still learned something from the death of Philip Hughes. According to Jonathan Agnew, the players' missed an opportunity to improve their behaviour at all.

The disappointment of Agnew sprung from a rather deeper sentiment other than a mere impulse and opinion coming from a spectator. He quoted among others, the Australia captain, Michael Clarke who suffered from a hamstring injury which arose from his reaction to his teammate's death on November. Phillip Hughes was also mentioned. He died because he was hit on his neck-just below his protective helmet's line-by a bouncer during the November 25 Sheffield Shield match.

The death of Hughes was witnessed by the world and attended by his colleagues and hundreds of fans all over the world. It was a funeral under the specs of everyone's camera. Yet, for Agnew, the players during the Australia test series only proved they did not learn anything from what happened to Phillip.

The death of Hughes apparently was not the end of the same unsavoury incidents. For Agnew, it should have stopped after Hughes, but it did not. It seemed like the eulogy of Michael Clarke for Hughes did not hit any impact at all to players.

According to Michael Clarke in his eulogy during Hughes' funeral, Phillip's spirit would surely be with the team all the time, as if he is playing cricket with them. Assessing the behaviour of players during the test series, it seemed like the eulogy was just said for nothing. What you keep hearing on the cricket field is still, "Knock his head off, knock his head off!"

For Agnew, it's not that he's being a hypocrite about everything that he said as he also truly understands the need for aggressive bowling from time to time, and even hitting batsmen. For him, these are part of the cricket game. But, outward nastiness and all the nonsense that go with it, is not.

To reach the author of this article e-mail d.ramos@ibtimes.com.au

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