Former Test cricket captain Michael Clarke has urged the media to move onto more important subjects after he was photographed riding a luxury Harley Davidson with his latest girlfriend. Under the front-page headline “Pup revs up his love life – Michael Clarke hits the road with new flame”, Sydney’s The Daily Telegraph invited readers to turn inside for further details.

There it was revealed Clarke was doubling new beau Arabella Sherborne on his custom Harley Davidson motorcycle after the couple had lunched at Bondi Japanese restaurant Raw Bar on Tuesday. The pair looked relaxed and more than happy to be snapped by the paparazzi.

But 43-year-old Clarke remains surprised with the interest in his love life after so long out of the game. Shown the front-page photo by his on-air colleagues on Sky Sports Radio’s Big Sports Breakfast program on Wednesday morning, he expressed his disbelief.

“Anybody get murdered yesterday? Let’s put a picture of me going for a motorbike ride – that’s way more important,” he said with a laugh. “I (could not) believe it when you showed me that this morning. Guys, get your priorities right. On a serious note, how does that make the front page?”

Michael Clarke newspaper story sparks backlash

Told he still held a high profile as a former skipper of the Australian cricket side, Clarke responded light-heartedly: “You can no longer hang on to your ‘captain of Australia’. I’m not, I retired 10 years ago. Go and get a picture of Pat Cummins doing his gardening or going fishing.”

When a listener rang in to attack the paper for running the photo of Clarke on its front page, it sparked a spirited debate between the ex-cricketer and radio co-host – Daily Telegraph league reporter Dean Ritchie. After the caller sprayed the Telegraph for not prioritising other news ahead of the Clarke article, Ritchie told the listener: “You don’t know what you’re talking about. You’re not in the media. I’m not going to have you besmirch the paper. Michael’s on the front page for a reason – because he’s a big name and a celebrity.”

Clarke responded: “I take the piss more than anyone about this stuff, but what (the listener) is saying is 100 per cent my beef. It’s called (having a) personal life. There’s got to be something more important than me riding a motorbike. I know it sells, but front page of Australia’s biggest paper? Give me a break.”