I'm growing increasingly tired of watching Stuart Broad throw his toys out the cot in a nature unbecoming of a professional cricketer.

All too often the England seamer questions authority, picks on batsmen for no apparent reason and, generally, acts far too big for his boot size, which in stature and authority is by no means Andrew Flintoff- or Ian Botham-esque.

Freddie and Beefy, or any other successful English fast bowler for that matter, had due reason to do what they wanted, when they wanted. Their pace, venom and intimidation afforded them such theatre in the face of opposition who warranted it.

24-year-old Broad's stupid histrionics, however, typified on Sunday by his run-in with unassuming Pakistani Zulqarnain Haider, smacks of schoolyard bully antics and an underlying lack of professionalism.

Don't get me wrong. I'm by no means suggesting that there isn't a place for a bit of needle across the game, especially from fast bowlers. But Broad, time and time again, oversteps the line between valid hostility and downright meaningless antagonism.

He isn't as menacing as he thinks he is, and will catch a harsh reality check, from the vocal Aussie crowd and Ricky Ponting's cocksure troops, if he hauls out any unprovoked belligerence come the Ashes at the end of the year.

Whether he was prematurely celebrating a wicket without even a cursory glance to the umpire, coughing up an undue query in the wake of an obvious wide or throwing a mini tantrum after being stuck lbw (before the days of the Umpire Decision Review System), Broad's rise through the England ranks has always been trailed by a sour disposition.

Nasser Hussain wrote recently in his Daily Mail column: "I am concerned that Stuart is getting himself a reputation for pushing umpires too far and he needs to have a good hard look at his attitude...

"If he carries on it is going to lead to umpires turning down his appeals and generally having a downer on him... Being a fired-up youth all the time has to be tempered."

Hussain, not the calmest cricketer in his playing days, then reiterated the point on Sunday after Broad had, without provocation, tossed the ball into Haider's chest. Though hotheaded Broad shrugged off the incident immediately with a wave of the hand and mumbled apology, I'm left wonder how soon it'll be before such malice will get the better of the Nottinghamshire man again.

It was in mid-July that ICC match referee and Stuart's father, Chris Broad, sat down to have a nurturing chat with Mohammad Aamer after the teenage pace ace had got on the wrong side of Michael Clarke and then Ponting's shoulder mid-followthrough.

"Aamer is a young, exciting, talented player full of enthusiasm for this great sport and that is to be celebrated and nurtured. But there are a few things he still has to learn in relation to how to conduct himself on the field of play," the wiser of the Broad father-son combo insisted.

Perhaps it's time daddy Chris looked to deliver a similar example to son Stuart, before match referee Chris has to execute a much harsher lesson...