KEY POINTS:
Stephen Fleming has declined to put his cricketing boot into Australia, describing the world champions' inflammatory display against India as nothing exceptional.
The former New Zealand skipper was absorbed rather than appalled by the ongoing furore across the Tasman, and doubted the controversial series would tarnish the game's
image.
On a day where it was revealed Australian captain Ricky Ponting's parents had received obscene phone calls, Fleming would not join the growing condemnation of his close friend or an opponent lambasted for compromising the spirit of the game.
"The intensity of the debate and the situation where the Australians are being criticised by their own is probably the greatest surprise," Fleming said.
"They play hard over there, they do create pressure on the umpires by playing hard, constant cricket."
The Australians have copped flak for various indiscretions following their stirring second test victory at the SCG - not walking, claiming contentious catches, appealing despite batsman being not out and reporting Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh for a racial insult none of the match officials could verify.
Singh was banned for three matches after being found guilty of calling Andrew Symonds, Australia's only non-white player, a monkey.
His penalty threatened to see the Indians abandon the tour before an appeal process was engaged.
"The Harbhajan aspect is interesting," Fleming said.
"It sounds like there is a case there to be answered, it's the players' word against another - without the match officials it's very messy.
"It does look a little bit schoolboyish though the racial issue does cause concern for a lot of players, there's been a big push to stamp it out."
Sledging, of course, was nothing new particularly where the Australians were concerned with Fleming accepting it was part and parcel of international cricket.
"It's been around for ages. (Former All Blacks captain) Tana Umaga summed it up when he said `It's not tiddlywinks'.
"Cricket's the same. People want to see confrontation, they want to see it in the right spirit and they want to see a competitive edge."
Fleming said whether the Australians were guilty of pressurising umpires - Ponting himself motioned to give Sourav Ganguly out to a dubious catch as India were battling to save the game - was difficult to define.
"How do you deem pressure? Is it excessive appealing, is it appealing ball after ball if it hits the pads .... is it having 10 fielders around the bat?
"To say you're putting pressure on the umpires there has to be a set standard of rules so you know when you've gone over the line.
"The ICC (International Cricket Council) have attempted to do that but there's always going to be a grey area when there's competition involved.
"If we keep diluting it the game can become a bit boring. To have a bit of controversy when you're not involved is not a bad thing."
Fleming also thought it was unrealistic to expect players to walk when given not out.
"It's up to individuals what they want to do.
"I understand people when they say the spirit of the game has to be looked after but some players view it as their livelihood - they get some rough decisions and they get some good decisions."
Doubtful catches was also a cloudy area as technology often proved a hindrance.
"The technology is not good enough,"Fleming said.
"I've looked at half a dozen replays of catches and I still can't tell.
"The concern is also sometimes clean catches look not out when they go upstairs.
"There's been a lot of talk about a gentleman's agreement - agreeing to walk if the opposition says it's out - but that only lasts so long with certain individuals when you're playing for your livelihood."
The SCG dramas, which saw West Indian umpire Steve Bucknor removed from next week's third test at India's insistence, also placed new emphasis easing the match officials' workload by giving the third umpire more power.
Fleming, though, was comfortable with the status quo.
"I'm a traditionalist. I still like the human element.
"It's hard for the umpires now because technology is dissecting their decisions to the nth degree.
"I believe there's actually been some improvements in umpiring, they're becoming more confident with lbw decisions, but when they make a howler it's there for the world to see."
- NZPA
