Some of Australia's legendary athletes have joined the chorus of criticism against the unsportsmanlike behaviour of Ricky Ponting's team in the Sydney Test with India.Sport Australia Hall of Fame members, John Bertrand, Herb Elliott and Rob de Castella, now plan to take the matter to Cricket Australia (CA), which they feel is damaging Australia's international reputation. Hall of Fame chairman, Bertrand, who led an Australian yacht team to America's Cup win 25 years ago, said the group would seek an urgent meeting with CA because Australia's Test team was damaging international relations with its "win at all costs" attitude."Sport is only sport. It's not war. Their desire to win at all costs is beginning to blur their moral compass," Bertrand was quoted saying by 'Sydney Morning Herald'."We will be seeking a meeting with Cricket Australia to seek to get the Australian team to readjust their behaviour so that they do show respect for their opponents," he said.Bertrand's views were echoed by world champion marathon runner Castella and Olympic gold medallist Herb Elliott, regarded as one of the world's greatest middle distance runners ever."We don't like what we are seeing and hearing at the moment," Elliot said.Australian Football League hero Ron Barassi agreed with the Hall of Famers and said, "It concerns me that the Australians are regularly being referred to as being arrogant and because it is mentioned so often, you begin to wonder."Legendary Australian batsman Neil Harvey Tuesday joined the wave of criticism against Ponting and questioned his team's on-field conduct and the strength of his leadership. Harvey, the Invincibles member, said the present Test team didn't play with the right spirit and criticised Ponting for allowing his players to go too far with sledging."Certainly the captain needs to be stronger and keep his guys in line. He needs to look at himself," Harvey was quoted as saying in "The Australian".Harvey was also angered by the team's failure to shake India captain Anil Kumble's hand at the end of the Test on Sunday."I don't think they are very sporting," Harvey said.He agreed with the International Cricket Council's decision to withdraw West Indian umpire Steve Bucknor from the third Test in Perth next week, saying he was "past his best". "He has been making a lot of mistakes for the past five years." Former England captain turned commentator Tony Greig said the time had come for players to be accountable for the state of the game and walk when they know they are out.He said improved technology would continue to expose players who didn't walk and umpires who made wrong decisions."When we walked in county cricket, the game was much better for it," Greig said.
