Former Australian captain Michael Clarke is likely to lose his lucrative commentary deal during the Border Gavaskar Trophy following his public altercation with partner Jade Yarborugh in Queensland. Footage of the spat was filmed by a bystander outside a restaurant in Noosa on January 10. In the video, Yarborugh can be heard accusing Clarke of cheating on her with his fashion designer ex-girlfriend Pip Edwards. The 41-year-old can be heard continually denying the claim, with his partner seen slapping him across the face at one point during the screaming match.
Clarke’s planned trip to India in February was referenced by Yarbrough in their screaming match, as she hinted that Clarke had asked his ex Pip Edwards to accompany him to India. “You want to send her to India with you?” Yarbrough can be heard screaming in the video. “‘You’re the love of my life Pip, come with me to India’ ” On Wednesday night, Clarke told The Daily Telegraph: “I accept full responsibility for this altercation and am shattered by my actions.” The footage shows a shirtless Clarke limping in a park surrounded by a group who are trying to calm the situation, while a furious Yarbrough screams at him then slaps him across the face. “You f**ked her on December 17 … You f**ked her, you’re a f**king dog,” she screams. Clarke responds: “Baby you’re wrong, you’re wrong.”
The Daily Telegraph has reported that the BCCI is reviewing its plans to include the 41-year-old in its commentary team for the highly-anticipated tour, which gets underway on February 9. Clarke is now also having to deal with the financial fallout from the public fight, with The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age reporting a prospective sponsorship deal with a skincare brand was pulled within hours of the footage being published. Queensland Police issued a statement on the incident on Thursday afternoon.
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