Cricket: Aussie coach quits Twitter following abuse

Australian coach Mickey Arthur says "back-chat" and "giving attitude" had become an unacceptable part of the Test team culture. Photo / Getty Images.

Australia cricket team coach Mickey Arthur grew tired of the vitriol he was receiving on Twitter and closed his account on Tuesday.

His action led to more criticism, jibes and abuse from some frustrated followers of the injury-hit and inexperienced Australian team who lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy on Monday when they slumped to the third straight Test loss of their India tour - where Australia has won only one Test series since 1970.

Last week's bombshell - when Arthur announced four players including vice-captain Shane Watson had been suspended from the third Test for failing to submit required assessments on how the team could improve - was clearly a sore point for some Twitter followers.

First the controversies during the summer of the resting of key players during a busy playing schedule, and now this.

And for Arthur, it was also the last straw.

With his third-ranked side trailing three-nil in the four-match series against India and the final Test starting in Delhi on Friday, Arthur will be bothered no longer by abusive Twitter followers.

"Thanks twitter,has been fun but deleting my account now!Thanks to all the genuine supporters out there,'' Arthur said on Twitter on Tuesday.

He later told reporters: "I just used it (Twitter) as a medium to get news really.

"For me, it just wasn't really worth it now.

"I used it to stay in contact with a lot of mates.

"If you're on it you just open yourself up to that (abuse).

"There has been some very positive stuff as well, but it's not worth it. I've got bigger things to worry about than Twitter to be honest.''

A sample of the latest advice dished out to Arthur by one frequent tweeter @jimmyob13 may indicate why Arthur stopped using social media.

"Hey Mickey Mouse @MickeyArthur do you have enough quicks for 3rd test? Now it's going to be a seamer so I suggest you play 4 spinners...,'' the user posted on March 12.

The following day he wrote: ''@MickeyArthur How's the team spirit this morn? Did they all wear the correct uniform? Did Hughes and Warner scrub skippers whites for him?''

Arthur's decision to close his account was greeted with more scorn on Twitter.

One tweeter, @adam_pearce13 said "It's about time you focus on the cricket anyway ''

Another, @willderen tweeted to Arthur "You're an idiot.'', @MarkCooper said "you suck'', while @KevinWilde described Arthur's move to delete his account as "weak''.

Arthur last week described the decision to suspend Watson, James Pattinson, Usman Khawaja and Mitchell Johnson as a line-in-the-sand moment to create a better culture within the team after a series of disciplinary lapses by the team in general including lateness, backchat and attitude issues.

The homeworkgate affair was widely ridiculed in Australia, especially by ex-players.

- AAP