aussie sledging - cricket post

[Ken Gargett]

this is from a west aussie sports writer. the australians are far from perfect but it does expose a bit of hypocrisy, not least from kiwis.

Sledging or spirit: Why are only Aussies in the crosshairs?

New Zealand quick Tim Southee bowls Aaron Finch, then charges down the pitch directly at the Australian batsman and screams in his face from so close that the players’ shirt sleeves touch.

This was the first wicket of the two clashes between Australia and New Zealand at this World Cup. Southee had been smashed for six down the ground by Finch and replied with a beautiful delivery which breached the Aussie’s defence in the third over of the match.

Surging with adrenaline after snaring a massive wicket in a huge match, Southee channelled his aggression at Finch and gave him a send-off.

There was nothing wrong with his actions – I don’t mind players expressing their emotions at pivotal points in big games.

But I am mystified there was not one mention of Southee’s aggressive send-off either on the live TV commentary or in the media after the match or, indeed, amidst the current debate over on-field behaviour.

We’ve been told that New Zealand don’t sledge, don’t give send offs, and that their behaviour was faultless throughout this World Cup. Those claims about the saintly Kiwis have been made to contrast against the supposedly disgraceful actions of the Aussies in their World Cup final win over New Zealand.

But why, amidst all this denigration of the Australians, has no one mentioned or acknowledged Southee’s send off? Similarly, cricket followers have overlooked the actions of Indian paceman Umseh Yadav and Pakistani quick Wahab Riaz towards the Australians in the semi and quarter finals respectively.

The first wicket of the semi-final involved a send-off from Umesh Yadav to David Warner. Yadav’s pace beat Warner who got a leading edge which flew high in the air to cover. While the ball was still in the air, Yadav turned his back on the ball and started walking towards Warner, not even watching to see if Virat Kohli would complete the basic catch.

With the catch completed, Yadav let out a huge scream directed straight at Warner.

Yadav’s send-off was more aggressive than anything the Australians did in the final, yet we heard nothing about it in the media.

Riaz was also given a pass by the cricket community for his histrionics in Australia’s quarter final win, which again were more extreme than the incidents the Aussies are being slammed for.

After having Shane Watson dropped at fine leg, Riaz lost the plot.

First, he gathered the ball in his follow through and needlessly and angrily threw down the striker’s stumps, forcing Smith to take evasive action even though he was standing well inside the crease the whole time.

Next, he repeatedly completed over-exaggerated follow-throughs down the pitch towards Watson, directing comments at the Australian batsman from metres away each time. Then he made a big show of standing in front of Watson in his follow-through, clapping animatedly while staring at the Aussie all-rounder.

Again, I have no issue with these kind of actions, which add theatre to the sport. But had that been Mitchell Johnson, not Riaz, we would have had days of ‘Ugly Australians’ reports and debates. Instead, Riaz’s behaviour was described as ‘spirited’ and all the focus was on his brilliant bowling.

Why hasn’t this been the case with Australia in the final? They won their fifth World Cup, and fourth out of the last five tournaments, while demolishing a team which had been undefeated through the tournament.

Yet a large amount of the analysis of the game has centred around Australia’s allegedly offensive on-field actions. The outcry has become so exaggerated that there’s a handful of fabricated incidents of Australian sledging which are now being repeated as facts.

On The Roar and other cricket websites, I’ve seen people state as fact that James Faulkner screamed in Grant Elliott’s face when he dismissed him, and that Mitchell Johnson gave Vettori a send-off.

I went back through the full footage of the game, watching and re-watching replays of each dismissal. Neither incident occurred.

I have also read that Brad Haddin gave Vettori a send-off. If you watch the footage of Vettori’s dismissal, Haddin is nowhere near Vettori after he gets out, and there is no sign of him trying to yell anything at the Kiwi, who is a long distance away. If anyone can provide a link to footage which suggests otherwise I’d be glad to see it.

Roar colleague Glenn Mitchell yesterday wrote a piece addressing the criticism of Australia’s behaviour in the final and argued that the Aussies have “some work to do”.

I don’t disagree. Australia have been responsible for some ugly, needless on-field incidents in recent years and should avoid repeating them. But none of their actions in the final fit into this category.

There has been a disproportionate level of focus on the Australia’s supposedly boorish behaviour in the final, as opposed to their brilliant performance and colossal achievement.

The media has been littered with articles lambasting the Australians’ supposed abuse of Kiwi players in the final. I say ‘supposed’ because there is no audio evidence of any Australian player making offensive comments, and neither have New Zealand reported any such incidents.

The ‘abuse’ is merely assumed. People have seen the lips of Australian players moving and, without hearing what they said, have made decisions that it must be been insulting.

Why do we automatically think so poorly of cricket players? When we debate sledging, regardless of which country is in the crosshairs, so often people are quick to assume that a lot of it is personal or vulgar or derogatory.

I have played senior cricket for 18 years and am still competing. Over those years I have heard many inappropriate things said on the field – ranging from plain stupid to crude. But over the course of any give game, 95 per cent of what is said is utterly harmless.

I found the same to be true when we were given a rare insight into the on-field chat of international cricket during last year’s Test series between Australia and South Africa.

The stump microphones were turned up so much higher than normal in that series that many of the players’ comments and conversations were audible. Keen to exploit this window into the game I listened through headphones throughout the series to maximise the amount of chatter I could hear.

When South Africa were batting, the Australian fielders and bowlers were regularly engaging the batsmen. When Australia were batting, the South Africans did the same. But, just like in my own experiences, 95 per cent of the comments and exchanges were innocent. They were either banal, cheeky, clever or constructive.

The ‘sledging’ from the fielders mostly consisted of attempts to distract the batsman from their game or to sow the seeds of doubt. It wasn’t, “Batsman X you’re a piece of s—, we’re going to kill you,” as so many critics of sledging seem to think is the norm. It was, “Ooh he’s playing away from his body there. Big gap. His balance is shocking guys, here comes the wicket.”

That is just mind games. Why then, should we assume that any comments made by the Aussies to the Kiwis players in the final were derogatory or abusive? We couldn’t hear the comments so why pretend we know what was said?

The on-field behaviour of professional cricketers is extremely clean in comparison to most other major sports. Putting aside the thuggish stuff which occurs in most contact sports, what about non-contact sports?

In baseball, the game closest in style to cricket, every year there are massive on-field brawls where the benches of both teams clear and a wild melee ensues. In basketball, fist fights are not uncommon and we’ve even seen them spread into the stands, with fans assaulted by players. Soccer has been witness to similarly disgusting acts by its players.

In these sports it’s also common to see extreme remonstrations with the umpires, including players laying hands on the officials when irate over decisions.

These type of aggressive behaviours have not become a part of cricket. In light of what occurs in other sports, are we not overreacting to on-field banter between players?

Why not talk about Australia’s glorious dismantling of two undefeated sides in the World Cup semi-final and final, instead of trying to make a massive issue out of some minor on-field incidents?

[JohnS]

I think there is a misunderstanding of what goes on out on a cricket field in senior cricket in games involving Australia at the highest levels and at lower levels, on the park. Ken, you've hinted at the banter and chatter aimed at sowing doubt in your post. This was my exact experience when I played senior cricket too. For me, the more the opposition goaded me, the better I performed, but it all stayed on the field. Off the field, after the game, everyone was mates especially after a beer or two.

I think people who view the game casually think international players hate each other! Nothing could be further from the truth. When I played, I was an opening bowler because of my pace, but I had enough knowledge of the game to bat 'straight' and keep out good bowlers, often I used to build scores from hanging around and supporting others. Sometimes I would bat for 2 or 3 hours on a Saturday to score a 30, 40 or 50 to keep my side in the game...I actually loved the sledging, it made me more determined to bat better and concentrate!

When I bowled, I gave no quarter. I remember one game where the opposition had a 'gun' bat who was pasting us all over the park. My first 7 overs I had 1/40. We had one run out chance on him but he ran back and covered his stumps from the throw, so I pinged him in the middle of the back for doing that! It made my team lift their spirits to keep competing. Eventually this guy made 95 out of 173, I ended up with 4/54 off 15 overs. This incident made everyone play better!

After the game, I had a few beers with him. We had a good time telling each other how we admired how we both played. There was mutual respect. Cricket is not for pansies. I wouldn't want to play the game any other way. Steve Waugh said once that if fans have an issue with the banter that goes with following test cricket, follow netball!

[Ken Gargett]

couple of points - my main concern with sledging as it appears in the big tv games is that kids see it and assume it is okay to abuse the opposition, when that might not be what is happening.

in days past, a lot of sledging was very funny.

when i played - opener and keeper - i never bothered (i know that some of you, no names rob, who think i may be somewhat combative at times might find this hard to believe). rarely saw the point. and very rarely got sledged. i can remember a hopeless spinner who thought he was the next warnie, or possibly pre warnie in those days, who gave me a gobful. despite all his posturing, he could bowl nothing but slowies mostly on the pitch. he could not have spun a disc. anyway, he went over the fence - it was hardly difficult but did he get stuck into me. so he got that back and the dimwitted ump gave me a warning.

the only time i remember "sledging" anyone was a young bloke who was playing was first game. came out to bat and promptly ran out his captain, who was on 49, - who i had played against for years at school and got on well with. i quietly pointed out how much crap he was in, doing that. poor kid lost it, tried to hit the next ball out of the park, missed and stumped. in all honesty, i felt a bit poor.

got into a few arguments on the field with tossers, but that is different.

the other thing i would mention was that playing in england was such a different attitude. club cricket in australia had got to the stage of, sadly, rarely sharing a beer with the opposition but in england, bar one mob of the worst, most racist and most arrogant tossers i've ever met (we played against all manner of opposition and these were the "landed gentry" and unbearable - most of my team were from all parts of the globe such as india, west indies, pakistan, south africa and so on and one of these grubs actually told one of my blokes that he was not to field any ball he hit because he was not having a n.... touch a ball he hit. i had no compunction in telling my leading quick - a seriously good and fast and bad tempered bowler - that i was more interested in him maiming someone than dismissing them), the atmosphere was so much more enjoyable. best cricket i ever played was in england and that mob was the total exception. every other game, win or lose or draw and no matter how i did, i loved. some of my fave memories of london.

[soutso]

I found the behaviour in the final a little embarrassing to he honest. I understand that almost anything goes in order to have a competitive edge. I understand that it's probably not personal. I've even enjoyed some of the banter in the past. However, in this instance (the Final V New Zealand) I found it to be cringeworthy.

To me it's cringeworthy only because of the proximity of time since the tragedy of Phillip Hughes. In this time Australian Cricket received great sympathy and support from the worldwide cricket community. The cricket world behaved impeccibly in response to this awful time. (and for the record, so they should have)

I only wish our team could have shown more class and appreciation. I just think this tournament deserved better behaviour. I for one, am disappointed. Competition and winning is one thing, class is another.

[NJP]

Well weighted, non biased positive press is not much of Australian Thing anymore. Our press love a tall poppy pruning, they are so much harder on their own and taking the shine of anyone's win or greatness is part of it. I think we are driven more and more by the big picture press than ever before. I work with allot of Herald Sun educated people that read the headline while looking at the picture and feel informed. They don't realise that the guts of the article will be different to the picture painted. The same goes for details they gather to form opinions that they are led to by the press.

As for competitive sport if the current movement continues we will have mixed sex teams, compulsory representation of every religion and race, wear full safety equipment, no scoring and everyone will get a participation ribbon that will be rainbow coloured so no individual colour is too masculine.

[Ken Gargett]

Well weighted, non biased positive press is not much of Australian Thing anymore. Our press love a tall poppy pruning, they are so much harder on their own and taking the shine of anyone's win or greatness is part of it. I think we are driven more and more by the big picture press than ever before. I work with allot of Herald Sun educated people that read the headline while looking at the picture and feel informed. They don't realise that the guts of the article will be different to the picture painted. The same goes for details they gather to form opinions that they are led to by the press.

As for competitive sport if the current movement continues we will have mixed sex teams, compulsory representation of every religion and race, wear full safety equipment, no scoring and everyone will get a participation ribbon that will be rainbow coloured so no individual colour is too masculine.

fully understand your comment re headlines. part of the problem is that writers do not write the headline. subs or editors or who knows do.

i remember something i did for the weekly column at the courier mail re a west aussie winery. the headline bagged the crap out of them. never the intention. i was away and came back to find this mess and nearly died of shock. the article was very positive about their wines and them. spoke to one of the winemakers later. he said they could not believe the headline and were furious. then they read the article and realised how positive it was. moronic sub had done it for reasons unknown.

[JohnS]

As for competitive sport if the current movement continues we will have mixed sex teams, compulsory representation of every religion and race, wear full safety equipment, no scoring and everyone will get a participation ribbon that will be rainbow coloured so no individual colour is too masculine.

Sadly, you aren't kidding here. I've had to deal with such a problem, in my work as teacher, from an 11 year-old girl who wished to play with the boys football team this year because the girls football team was not competitive enough. I can sympathise with her argument, but unfortunately it can set-up an unwanted precedent.

My school cricket teams, both local and representative, play the game competitively. Parents think their kids just want to have fun. This is not my experience. The truth is, kids want to play sport competitively, to their best of their ability as a team, and they want to enjoy success. I haven't encountered a team that has enjoyed losing every game they play. Again, as Ken mentioned in the opening post, I emphasize sportmanship after the game is over, but we play to the best of our ability. If you can't bowl, concentrate on fielding...and trust me, even 8 year-olds understand that this is fair!

[Borgy]

When it comes to the Kiwis and Aussie its always been a love hate relationship a few years ago I was at a wallabies game the cricket was a cup tea and scones.I know with cricket we should follow etticate but as long as its not racial or personal lets keep the spirit of the game and sledging its finding that middle ground its a fine line.

[Ken Gargett]

absolutely. i remember a wallabies game over in orcland and kiwis actually spitting at us as we had gold jerseys.

at another game, was in a box (forget if wellington or orcland) and the box next door was an anz box. not their main one with the bigwigs but one they had given to 'younger bankers'. they not only refused to stand for the aussie national anthem but yelled abuse through it. needless to say, it got very unpleasant. must confess i thought i'd really ruin their day so contacted my bank manager when i got back - top bloke and by chance, the anz was my bank.

a few days later, had a call from an embarrassed and angry chairman of the anz himself, to apologise - which i certainly appreciated, as i am sure he had better things to do - in which he assured me that the parties involved would be very seriously dealt with. would have loved to see their grubby little faces.

plenty of blame on both sides but it does irritate me when kiwis take the moral high ground. they are certainly no more deserving of it than ourselves.

[Hunter1974]

When it comes to the Kiwis and Aussie its always been a love hate relationship a few years ago I was at a wallabies game the cricket was a cup tea and scones.I know with cricket we should follow etticate but as long as its not racial or personal lets keep the spirit of the game and sledging its finding that middle ground its a fine line.

The only cricket I know about is the kind you put on a hook ! lol

[Coolio]

I don't mind sledging and banter. It's always been a part of cricket. I stopped playing when I was 18, but I used to get sledged all the time as an opening bat who wasn't the biggest kid going around. Simple sledges like "why take block you little ****, you'll be gone in a minute" etc. Or the ones that sometimes upset me a bit, like "if you make any runs today I'm gunna make you pay for it after the game".

The weirdest sledge was when my dad potted me from second slip (in the country sometimes your own family members ended up in other teams to make up numbers). He basically told me if I hung around too long I'd have to "effing walk home".

What I don't like are send offs. Regardless if it's Australia or NZ or India doing the 'sending'.

You've gotten the guy out, and he's on his way back to the sheds. You've won that battle.

Send offs, simply, just look ugly.

I wish the bowlers would just do what Mitchell Starc did when he got McCullum out in the first over of the final, and bolt like a mad man for nowhere in particular! Isn't it better when the attention is then on the bowler celebrating with his team mates than an altercation that makes the papers and detracts from an often awesome piece of bowling (like those 3 balls of Starc's)

[Ken Gargett]

I don't mind sledging and banter. It's always been a part of cricket. I stopped playing when I was 18, but I used to get sledged all the time as an opening bat who wasn't the biggest kid going around. Simple sledges like "why take block you little ****, you'll be gone in a minute" etc. Or the ones that sometimes upset me a bit, like "if you make any runs today I'm gunna make you pay for it after the game".

The weirdest sledge was when my dad potted me from second slip (in the country sometimes your own family members ended up in other teams to make up numbers). He basically told me if I hung around too long I'd have to "effing walk home".

What I don't like are send offs. Regardless if it's Australia or NZ or India doing the 'sending'.

You've gotten the guy out, and he's on his way back to the sheds. You've won that battle.

Send offs, simply, just look ugly.

I wish the bowlers would just do what Mitchell Starc did when he got McCullum out in the first over of the final, and bolt like a mad man for nowhere in particular! Isn't it better when the attention is then on the bowler celebrating with his team mates than an altercation that makes the papers and detracts from an often awesome piece of bowling (like those 3 balls of Starc's)

interesting you mention that you copped it as a small kid. i wonder if that makes a difference. as a big blob of a kid, perhaps that is why i didn't. not considered that.

[Borgy]

The only cricket I know about is the kind you put on a hook ! lol

[Borgy]

Look it up I think you guys say its like watching paint dry and a game that goes on for days and at the end still could be no winner LOL?