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Aussie cricketers are in a mire of their own making
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So it’s come to this. The relationship between two formerly friendly cricket nations has broken down, jeopardising a Test series. Claims of racist abuse are being met with claims of poor sportsmanship. Players are being left on buses while the power brokers meet. And now the highest cricketing authority is locked in disagreement with the game’s operators. How did we get here? There were the atrocious umpiring decisions that cost the Indians the Sydney Test. There was Harbhajan Singh’s ill-considered “monkey” comment to Andrew Symonds. There was Australia’s unseemly triumphalism. And there’s the three match ban meted out to Singh as punishment for his supposedly racist sledge. But that’s not what this dispute is about. The Australians’ arrogance and ruthlessness has finally caught up with them. It was on full display following the Sydney Test, with Ricky Ponting leading from the front. When questioned in a post-match press conference by an Indian journalist about a catch he claimed, Ponting replied: “If you are actually questioning my integrity in the game then you shouldn’t be standing here.” So untouchable is the Australian captain, at least in his own mind, that journalists are forbidden from asking him questions. If they do, the offence is so great that they should do their job elsewhere.
A second example came yesterday. “It’s disappointing and they are entitled to their opinion but if you look back at the game I really can’t see how we have done anything wrong by the spirit of the game,” Ponting said. The Australian captain is either wilfully naïve or has failed to pick up on the social cues offered by the cricketing world. Can he and Cricket Australia really be that blind to how they are seen within the game? Or is admitting fault simply unthinkable? Let’s be honest. With their ruthlessness and win-at-all costs attitude, with their front-running flamboyance and puffy-chested arrogance, Ponting and his men have been piling timber onto a pyre of international discontent for years. In the end, all it took to ignite it was a few bad umpiring decisions, an ill-considered comment from an opponent and another dose of grandiose glorying in the miseries of the vanquished. Are we really surprised? And do we believe Ponting when he says he “can’t see how we have done anything wrong by the spirit of the game”? There’s no doubt that Australia’s ultra-competitiveness has delivered unparalleled success over the last decade. It’s a trait commonly found in individuals and teams that dominate their sport. Maybe if England, the West Indies and South Africa were to make ruthlessness a feature of their own practice, Australia might find itself challenged more often. But that extended period of dominance has bred a sense of entitlement in the Australians, a sense that they can play the game on their terms, with no regard for the opposition or for cricketing traditions that might appear quaint and outdated in an age of win-at-all-costs professional sport. Ricky Ponting, whose cricketing value system was molded during his team’s decade of dominance, certainly thinks many of those traditions no longer apply. At another level, this is also a stand-off between the International Cricket Council (ICC), the game’s highest authority, and India, which is responsible for 70% of the game’s revenue. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has now given the ICC an ultimatum. Overturn the three match ban given to Singh and remove umpire Steve Bucknor from the Perth Test or our team will be coming home. It’s hard to underplay the significance of the move. A resolution requires one side to back down. Will the ban on Singh be lifted? Unlikely, lest it give tacit approval to racist comments and the ICC be seen to bow to the Indians’ will. An ICC backdown could deal a near mortal blow to its authority. Conspiracy theorists might suggest that’s India’s intention. Or will India back down, and play the next Test without Singh, with Bucknor officiating, despite making such a bold demands? What cost to Indian pride? Whatever the solution, we’re about to learn something about how cricket will be played and administered into the future. We’re about to learn who wears the creams. |
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50 Comments
Peter Lalor’s article in today’s Australian, clearly sets out India might not of complained if they drew the match. Also goes through some history. In India’s recent tour to England regarding Dohni’s appeal for a non catch. You can not have it both ways.
On balance there was no winner so surely the ICC should ask the third umpire to review the entire game and declare it a draw, reduce Singn’s penalty to suspended, get some grace pills and set up a cracker test for Perth with the worlds biggest TV audience
If the sport or game is not played, it is designed for, then second half doesn’t carry any boundries of following rules.
ICC need to state rules in favour of Australians OR against India, then if this mess happens, there is no corrective action possible.
At first I was disappointed that Symonds did not walk - but now the Australian team and Ricky Ponting is being unfairly attacked by an english journalist - I am glad he didn’t (because not many Englishmen walk)
If the heat from all of the outraged comments in the press-I mean Chr*st! there is Joseph from USA-together with the heat from the football during the season; could be turned towards the whaling issue. We would be having the Japanese for breakfast!
Many historians have said: Don’t obey false deeds. The one who deviates from truth is less @ fault than the one who obeys him. If umpires are deciding / fixing matches, and reaction is un-sporting, then do not play. You play means you support mis-deeds.
Venise, you got it! Seems we’ve energy for this while whales face harpoons & cutting CO2 emissions quickly & drastically is THE issue that must be addressed NOW. We must all work together yet we (both sides) can’t agree on rules of engagement for a game!
The word “monkey” may not be considered racist in India, but the ‘word’ , the chanting and the disgusting crowd behaviour in Mumbai certainly appeared racist to me. It seems unlikely that Singh was referring to a Hindu god when talking to Symonds.
Andy, you’re perfectly right, I’ve been itching to say it. With Howard gone, hopefully this sick (dare I say it? - unAustralian), bullying nationalism is gone. Remember Haneef?
Geoff: Indeed a very sad day 4 Australia that a lying-whining-cheating-childish Ricky is compared to Churchill.
Aussies absymal behavior and lack-of-integrity was there for all to see. Feel sorry that a nations ha straded it’s soul & morals 4 match-fixng
Bagging Roebuck by referring to his origin is racism plain & simple. Faced with a combative opponent dishing out their own kind of behaviour Ponting’s crew resorted to simple and outright cheating. The triumpalism at the end - crude. Indefensible. Vile.
so far this test had dozen of wrong decission from umpires . there is no doubt about that .90% of decission was against indians at crucial stage of the game which eventually shift the direction of the game.final blow was harbajan ban for racism.
the way in which aussies reacted on field throughout the match is seen by whole world and still they claim that the match was played in good spirit? is that the spirit to take the catches which are grounded and still claiming that they took it rightly.
In reply to Milind Ektare last comment, maybe the problem started in the First Test when Yuvraj Singh stayed at wicket when given out (and was clearly out). He did not want to walk when given out. Procter made mistake in not fining him for his conduct.
This is so much more than about cricket. Remember John Howard at the Rugby World Cup final ? Now look at Mr Ponting. Go figure. For a decade we have been given the dog whistled right to lord it in rabid style and get narky when we don’t win.
Now Ricky says the Harbhajan-Symo thing is a ‘small incident’ that India is blowing out of proportion. Another example of double-stdd.-big enough 4 Ponting to whine & moan and complain but not for India when there is NO EVIDENCE. Also:Monkey is not racist
I know it’s still the silly season and journalists the world over need something to write about but can we please have some perspective on this..it’s a game! And just what are the “cricketing traditions” that Ponting and his team have “no regard for”?
Can somebody define ruthless? If it means the Australian Cricket team trains hard, plays hard and every time they go on to the field they expect to win I have no problems with it.
However it seems to be used in another context that I do not understand or is it just lazy journalism because some clown like Peter Roebuck uses it so all follow suit.
Also there seems to be an awful lot of people in this country that are uncomfortable with Australia being good at anything – not just cricket. The moment they can find something negative they latch on to it and are as happy as can be. A lot of them work at Crikey.
I am on the side of the umpires – they get it wrong rarely but overall do a very good job. Wrong decisions are part of cricket – always have been but when the robots take over maybe not forever.
I also enjoyed the second test and was particularly delighted with the outcome – pity about a bunch of juveniles on the Indian Cricket Board who just have to flex their muscle time
Joseph of the USA, are you really an American, I mean cricket and USA are not usually synonymous? Chr*st you are a stirrer; and I thought I was bad!
Cheers, olé, olé!
Clarke is a pup (dog); Aussies teams are ‘kangaroos’; McGrath is ‘Pigeon’. And ‘monkey’ (a God in India) is suddenly ‘racist’!! Aussies use 4 letter words all the time-they always INITIATE the sledging.
Pls wake up Punter et & take some responsibity
If 3 tail enders can not hold out an over form Michael Clarke, Indian cricket is in trouble. Maybe India can not cope with the pressure. Everything was fine when India were batting well in the first innings (no complaints!) - only when they lose!
If Singh called Symonds a monkey, then that IS racist, not supposedly racist, and the book should be thrown at him.
As I dyed-in-the-wool antique Aussie supporter I wanted India to win. Symonds should have walked, and who appointed Ponting as umpire? Monkeys are our nearest relations, and better groomed than Symonds, so why the hissy fit? Indians go home, proudly.
When did the Australian Cricket Team cheat? I see no different to the appealing and lack of walking by the Indians or any other Cricket team in last 10 years. Not the Australian’s fault umpires were dreadful (Tendulkar was given not out when 30).
Final Verdict:
Ricky Pointing the Captain and Micheal Clarke the much touted future captain are cheaters. Symonds, Hayden & Clarke are liars cause Harbhajan said, “Teri Ma Ki” which was converted to, “Monkey” by these three, and no evidence was produced
Perhaps a little less hysteria? I’m not entirely sure what constituted “unseemly triumphalism” on the part of the Australians. Winning surely entitles a team to engage in a bit of glee.Allegations of racism ought not be dismissed quite so lightly either.
“Ill-considered”? How about disgustingly, knowingly racist, and inexcuasable. Will the Australians be similarly excused from charges of racism if their opponents are too triumphant in victory?
Calling Symonds a “monkey” only “ill-considered”? The Monkey taunt has been in the news for months. Singh should know better. And triumphalist? They just got 3 wickets in the 2nd last over to win! What about SInghs triple tumble role on getting Ponting?
Why is the Australian cricket team held to different standards of behaviour? Which other team’s players walk when given not out? Which other team doesn’t appeal to pressure the batsmen and umpires? Which other team doesn’t celebrate a close Test win?
Started in first innings, when Ricky nudged ball on 14 & declared not out. Symonds touched the ball on 30 then was run out declared not out & on second day Bucknor ruled him not out when was stumped by Dhoni. 3 lives to a good players means 200 runs extra
The 3 wicktes Michael took were of tail ender batsmen. Tail ender batsmen never represent team for diagnosing poor or best batting performance. If you kill parents and say kids did not survived is nonsence. Monkey stuff is not proved. Decision is biased.
Venise, love your comment. Ii can imagine all the squads of the grey cardi Sandy Stones types in these posts whipping themselves to a frenzy, decending on the Japanese whaling fleet and boring them home with comparisons of stats from past tests.
Dear Joseph of the USA - please visit Harlem or Compton or other areas with a large African American population, playfully point to the residents while yelling ‘monkey’ and let us know how they share your view that it’s not a racist term.
What an extraordinarily ill considered article!
Why is Ponting called arrogant? Is it a no-no to win, and be ecstatic about it, or what? I can’t believe this unwarranted rubbish written by Thomas Hunter. GO AUSSIE!!!
No cricketing nations should play with rogues like Australian cricket tem. Because we dont want teach our children the things which happened in Sydney. We would not like to teach children the vulgarity which is usually displayed by Australian players (cricketors). The useless buggers to the society who donot know as to how to respect elders (happening in India in respect of Sharad Pawar) We dont want to teach this to the Youngsters.
So, all ‘definitions’ of what’s acceptable (nasty 4 letter words) and what’s not is up to the Aussies to decide. No wonder all the teams around the world hate the Aussies team. India NEVER had a problem playing the MIGHTY West Indians thru the 80s — fyi.
Sir,
Enough is enough.I feel nothing but shame about this Australian cricket
team. In short, they are bad sports and cheats. The enthusiastic appeal
that resulted in the dismissal of Dravid when his bat was clearly behind
his pad was a disgrace. The practice of batsman not walking when they know
they are out is dishonorable. If winning comes at the expense of respect
for one’s opponents, fair play, and sportsmanship then is a tainted and
inglorious triumph. It subverts all that was once great about this game.
Moreover, what is even more concerning is that young people will emulate
the corrupt values of their heroes and transfer them to areas outside of
sport. It is time the Australian Cricket Board instituted an ethics
component to their training because these Australian cricketers clearly do
not know the difference between right and wrong.
ZED-Happy 2 c ‘straya with an ublemished record of anti-racism (Darrel Hair?)& Procter (apartheid anyone?) have stood up against racism against an Indian-it being the MOST diverse democracy in the world. When Australia is half-the-nation US is-let me know
Indians know Aussies can beat them playing fair - and that is perfectly acceptable to one and all. If it weren’t, they wouldn’t have a test series with OZ.
When the OZ team cheats, that’s not acceptable. Hope you folks get the difference
“Decadence of dominance”! What alliterative crap. Where were the moral”journo” crusaders in the West inies days. True cricket lovers loved the Windies as we love the Ozzies now. For the cricket they played-in all its nuances..
I find it hard to believe that the Aussie team would not be excited about winning the game - especially when the win means they equal the world record!
As for spirit of the game - what about the awful over rate of the Indian’s in the field?
Incompetent umpiring must be addressed by the ICC but is unlikely to occur due to the fact that Australian greats often make up the ICC such as Malcolm Speed CEO and Richie Benaud who unfortunately can not help making decisions that favour Austr
What is being really missed in this. India played very poor cricket to lose 3 wickets to Michael Clarke (not a front line bowler) - in one(1) over. True India had some bad decisions, so did Australia in this test. Monkey stuff is a distraction.
Like the articles by Roebuck and English this article is full of opinion and short on fact. I can’t see what Ponting is supposed to have done wrong other than never never never giving up. No doubt Winston Churchill had his detractors, too.
Racist comment? Has anyone thought to analyse the meaning of “monkey” in Indian culture? According to my Indian contacts, it would be a laugh on Symonds and knee-jerk Ponting.
In all the past I’ve seen plenty of dodgy decisions, but this is the first time I’ve seen the winning side blamed for them. Can you imagine the reaction in the UK press if that was Ponting’s approach during our last tour of England?
If umpiring: ‘if in doubt say not out’. If playing: ‘don’t walk until the umpire lifts his finger.’ Basic tenants in womens cricket 30 years ago. Calling someone of African origins a monkey is racist., and has been for decades. Much ado about nothing.
Joseph, look up the word ‘pejorative’ in the dictionary.
If the heat from all of the outraged comments in the press-I mean Chr*st! there is Joseph from USA-together with the heat from the football during the season; could be turned towards the whaling issue. We would be having the Japanese for breakfast!