Lara Bingle has been photographed without the engagement ring she was given by Michael Clarke indicating that their relationship might now be over. The Australian cricket vice-captain was apparently furious with his fiancée when he learned that she had agreed to give an interview to a well known women’s magazine. Those who have knowledge of the situation said that it wasn’t the possibility that the now infamous nude photo of Bingle would re-emerge that infuriated Clarke, but the fact that she might start talking about her former relationship with Brendan Fevola.

Clarke quit the Australian team to come back to Sydney to sort out the couples problems. On Tuesday the couple were holed up in their Bondi Beach apartment in crisis talks. At one point a visibly distressed Bingle emerged onto the balcony to give the gathered members of the press the finger. She later left the apartment in the company of her friend Hermione Underwood. The pair returned at around 10pm but Bingle did not get out of the car and she and Underwood drove off again. Bingle did not return to the apartment that night.

Allegedly Clarke has been told that he has to decide whether or not he will be returning to the Australian side by Sunday. Yesterday Bingle spent the morning with her agent Max Markson. One of Bingle’s friends has told a current affairs program that the relationship is now over. However Chris White, Clarke’s agent said the claim was unsubstantiated. When Markson was asked to shed some light on the situation he refused to comment.