Rikki Clarke faces backlash from Justin Cousins after scoring double-ton in Hampshire league

Former England international Rikki Clarke, who retired from the first-class cricket last year, scored 229 runs off 109 balls in the second tier fixture of Hampshire yesterday.

Clarke has played two Test matches and 20 ODIs for England. The 40-year-old has smashed 17 centuries in his first-class career. 

While playing for Shrewton, Clarke struck 22 sixes and 16 fours during his 229-run knock against South Wilts 3rds. After Clarke helped his team rack up 385 runs in 45 overs, bowlers did the rest of the work to guide Shrewton towards a win by 239 runs.

After scoring mammoth innings, Clarke shared the scorecard on Twitter from his official account.

"Love playing with these lads. @ShrewtonCC," Clarke captioned the tweet and attached the scorecard of Shrewton's innings.

The tweet did not go down with many, including Locks Health batter Justin Cousins, who criticised the retired England all-rounder for disrupting the standard of club cricket.

This led to a series of tweets involving conversations between the two cricketers.

"Great work ruining Saturdays for normal folk," Cousins replied to Clarke's tweet.

"Am I not a normal folk then?" Clarke responded back.

Cousins: "No, you are a cricket gun. Fantastic player but ruins a game when people give up their Sat on the hope they will play against a similar standard."

Clarke: "So me coming back to help club cricket is wrong?"

Cousins: "No, not all, but getting 200 is overkill! Win the game by 50, not 200 plus. Surely we want cricketers to come back each week. You have so much to offer the Hants leagues but just smashing people."

Clarke hit back, saying, "Seems to divide opinion tonight with me helping out a local cricket club by playing for them. Good people who work hard to make the club progress through the leagues potentially and attract new players. Personally couldn't care less what people think."

Cousins: "U deffo help them. But maybe just throw your wicket when you have 100ish. I'm part of a small club like Shrewton, but I think maybe u went a bit too big today. U being there is a great draw, and to say u don't care what people think is belittling it more."

Clarke: "So I'm playing a sport and have an obligation to my team to do well, and you say I should throw my wicket away!! I only care what my team thinks, so that's why I say I don't care what people think. It was no different at the professional level, and it's no different now!"

Cousins: "I get that, but I think you are missing the bigger picture. I would be embarrassed getting 200 in our 4th team (not that I could). You have so much to offer local cricket."

While a few echoed with Cousins' thoughts, others sided with Clarke in the heated debate.

"The oppo will undoubtedly benefit in the long term too. Yeah, he smacks 200 odd, but that's tough. He's got a commitment to his team to do his best for them, not retire, cause the oppo are sulking that he's smashing them all over the place. Learn from the experience and enjoy it," Matt Wheatley wrote.

"Cannot actually believe this is being questioned !!.. every player on that field will have experienced playing with and against an international cricketer .. how many chances do you get at that ???" Gavin Hamilton, the former England cricketer, posted in Clarke's favour.