Jeff Thomson blasts 'garbage'” surrounding Michael Clarke-Lara Bingle scandal

Former Australian fast bowler Jeff Thomson has questioned vice-captain Michael Clarke’s need to leave New Zealand to end his engagement with fiancée Lara Bingle.

Thomson said that Clarke should have ended his engagement without returning to Sydney.

“I think you could quite easily end the relationship without coming back, couldn't you? You could quite easily say, That's it anyway,” The Sydney Morning Herald quoted Thomson, as saying.

He further said that former Australian players would find the situation to be funny.

“It's just laughable. These cricketers who have had to go away from their wives for months on tours and other cricketers who went away for tours on boats would be laughing their head off. What the hell is this all about? It's not even his wife,” Thomson said.

The 59-year-old said the nude photo scandal involving Bingle and AFL player Brendan Fevola seemed as though it may have been an attention-seeking ploy by Bingle.

“She went to the Allan Border Medal and nobody took any notice of her. All the other girls outdid her. That might have dented her ego a little,” he said.

Thomson also made comparisons of the scandal with the Tiger Woods saga, and doubts whether Australians cared about either of the two dramas.

“Everyone's sick of it. It's like Tiger Woods and his missus, to the normal everyday person, who really gives a stuff?” he said.

“Who gives a hang about Lara Bingle and what he's doing with her? They're more interested in what Michael Clarke's doing on the cricket field,” he added.