The Underarm Bowling Controversy, 1981
The Ashes are built on fierce rivalry, but few moments captured the raw edge of the contest like Michael Clarke’s "broken arm" threat during the 2013–14 opener at the Gabba. With stump microphones catching every word, Australia's captain delivered one of the most infamous sledges in modern cricket, turning a fiery Test into an unforgettable Flashpoint.
The Incident
- On the final day of the 1st Test, England were battling to save the game against a hostile Australian attack.
- Fast bowler Mitchell Johnson was charging in at high pace, while James Anderson prepared to face him. Just moments earlier, Anderson had exchanged heated words with Australian fielder George Bailey, escalating the tension.
- As Anderson took guard, Clarke's voice came through the stump microphone: "Get ready for a broken f***ing arm."
- The comment was clearly directed at Anderson, warning him about what Johnson’s thunderbolts could do.
Discovery
- The threat may have gone unnoticed on the field, but the stump microphone picked it up and television audiences heard it loud and clear.
- Within minutes, the exchange was replayed across broadcasts, making it one of the most talked-about moments of the Test.
The Aftermath
- The International Cricket Council (ICC) charged Clarke with breaching its Code of Conduct for "using language or a gesture that is obscene or insulting".
- Clarke admitted to the Level 1 offense.
- He was fined 20% of his match fee.
- Later, Clarke said he regretted the language he had used but did not regret standing up for his teammate in the heat of battle.
- Despite the controversy, Australia went on to win the Test by a commanding 381 runs, setting the tone for their 5–0 series whitewash of England.
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Legacy and Impact
- The "broken arm" threat has become one of cricket's most replayed stump-mic moments.
- For some, it was pure theatre — evidence of the aggression that makes the Ashes so compelling. For others, it crossed the line into needless abuse.
- Either way, it added to Clarke's reputation as a fierce leader willing to back his bowlers, and it symbolised the hostile atmosphere that defined Australia's resurgence under his captaincy.
Final Note
Michael Clarke's Gabba sledge was just one sentence, but it echoed far beyond Brisbane. It revealed how quickly passion in the Ashes can boil over, how stump microphones expose the raw side of the game, and how thin the line is between intimidation and controversy. Today, "Get ready for a broken arm" remains etched in cricket history as one of the Ashes' defining flashpoints.
