AUSTRALIA vice-captain Brad Haddin says the decision by Western Suburbs to declare at 0-17 last Saturday so Test skipper Michael Clarke could bat on the second day is akin to “match-fixing”.

Haddin made the sensational tongue-in-cheek statement at a press conference on Monday morning after Clarke had been named in the Australian Test squad for the first match against India starting December 4 pending a fitness test.

Wests captain Jeff Cook made the controversial call to declare early in the innings against Parramatta in a bid to ensure his side would bat on the second day, allowing Clarke to come in and get batting practice to prove his fitness to selectors.

That decision has backfired spectacularly after Clarke was on Monday named to play in a Cricket Australia XI team in Adelaide this weekend instead, meaning Cook’s decision cost his team first innings points for nothing.

CLARKE CAUGHT UP IN GRADE CRICKET DRAMA

“I don’t really know the full extent of where that’s at and how that happened, all I know is that the captain there better be careful, that looks like match-fixing to me,” Haddin said to the shocked laughter of reporters.

Technically, Haddin is correct. Wests manipulated the situation of the game for a specific outcome - the ability of a player to bat in their line-up on the second day - which is fixing the state of play.

Clarke, fighting to overcome hamstring and back injuries, wanted to bat for Wests on Saturday to prove his fitness to selectors ahead of the first Test of the summer against India starting December 4 in Brisbane.

Parramatta skipper Michael Castle was stunned when Wests captain Cook asked him at the toss to let his side bowl first last Saturday, in order for Clarke to bat on the second day this weekend.

Castle intended to send Wests into bat.

media_camera Michael Clarke is at the centre of a major controversy thanks to Western Suburbs’ declaration.

“He told me if I sent his side into bat, they would declare after one ball,” Castle said.

“He said he’d been put under pressure from Cricket NSW to bowl first so that Michael Clarke could bat on the second day.

“I have never been in a situation like this before, I was shocked.

“I was always going to send them in on that wicket, I won the toss and did that. Jeff said he’d declare after one run or one ball.

“When they got to 0-12 we thought it was all a bluff, but then when he declared at 0-17 we were very annoyed.

“In my opinion it should not exist at any level.

“They manipulated the situation of the game to accommodate one person.

media_camera Parramatta captain Michael Castle believes the declaration was disrespectful.

“It has opened up a precedence, what happens when a state player wants to have a hit in grade before a big game now?

“It is disrespectful to club cricket.

“All these blokes are giving up their weekends, we were pretty peeved, we actually considered getting to 0-18 and declaring.”

Parramatta players were fuming after the decision, and seriously discussed that prospect, which would have created an even bigger farce.

Instead, they declared at 2-140 at Kings Oval midway through the afternoon, and Wests then reached 1-235 at stumps to set up Clarke’s expected cameo at the crease.

“Michael Clarke is a big drawcard, I would love to play against him, I’d love for the Australian captain to play the first Test, but not to the detriment of an entire competition,” Castle said.

Cricket NSW will investigate the incident next week and gather all relevant parties in a room, although Clarke is likely to give a written submission given his schedule.

Both captains will be asked to give their version of events.

Cook has already said he made his decision because he felt it was in the best interests of Australian cricket that Clarke can have a bat before the first Test.

It’s understood Cricket NSW will strongly deny the implication that they tried to influence the toss call to give Clarke a chance at batting and that senior officials are concerned by what transpired, although they will not comment on the issue until their own investigation is complete.

An email from Cricket NSW was sent to the Parramatta club on Thursday advising of Clarke’s presence in the Wests team sheet, although that is standard practice when new players are set to come in.

The bitter saga has wider-ranging consequences for the Sydney grade competition.

Parramatta was bottom of the table prior to last weekend, but because of Wests’ early declaration, Parramatta picked up six points for winning the first innings and have climbed to near mid-table, overtaking rivals who competed in more traditional contests last weekend.