He’s the 28-year old vice-captain of the Australian cricket team. She’s a 22-year old model most famous for that widely-panned “Where The Bloody Hell Are You?” Australian tourism campaign (see above) and for cavorting with a married football player. They were engaged to be married.

Then a topless photo of her when she was 19 surfaced in the news, courtesy of Brendan Fevola, the married football player she was involved with at the time.

ABC Sport – Bingle sues Fevola over nude photo.

So in the midst of all this, Michael Clarke decided to leave the Australian cricket team which was due to play in New Zealand and flew back to Australia to deal with it. The engagement is now off.

SMH – Cracks showing long before Bingle debacle.

SMH – Innings over for Bingle and Clarke.

And here’s why he’s a dope. By up and leaving the Australian cricket team in a lurch, he’s basically shown to team management that he cannot be counted on to place the team as his top priority. He can kiss being captain of the team goodbye. Not to say that one should always place one’s career above family and relationships but it doesn’t exactly place confidence in his ability to focus on what he’s being paid a tremendous amount of money for.

So he’s jeapordised his career advancement for a woman whose problems are mostly brought on by herself. If it was an unfortunate accident or a family crisis which demanded that Michael be by Lara’s side then I’m sure most of us and Cricket Australia will understand. But this? Not so much. She’s a big distraction to him and the team.

If the Tiger Woods story did not hammer it down already, the fact is that as long as there’s rich and powerful men, there will always be women like Lara Bingle. If Michael Clarke likes the blonde leggy types, I’m sure there are a lot of them willing to throw themselves at him. Love? Please.

But the one thing that Michael Clarke is not a dope at is with protecting his assets. Although he’s bought her a $200,000 engagement ring and a $250,000 Aston Martin amongst other expensive gifts, his properties and financial assets are all in his own name.

Lara Bingle has ‘no claim’ on Michael Clarke’s millions – legal experts | Adelaide Now.

So Michael Clarke, for that you get a pass.