5 Instances when teams regretted sledging opposition players

3. Australia gang up against Brian Lara, 2003

Australia have a reputation for going overboard with things on the cricketing field. The Men in Yellow were once again at it when they decided to lay it on West Indian batting great Brian Lara in a Test match in 2003.

The all-conquering Australian side were dismissed for 240 in the first innings and when Lara came to the crease with West Indies 73-3, he was welcomed with a slew of unkind words from Matthew Hayden and Australian skipper Steve Waugh. The West Indian batter and Waugh were later involved in an altercation, and umpire David Shepherd had to separate the pair.

In response to the taunts, the southpaw played three cracking shots to send a strong message to the Aussies. West Indies completed a sensational victory in that Test after chasing a record 418 runs in the fourth innings of that match.