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Richard Boock, the fence-sitter
By Will 8 months ago, Comments
There’s a strong chance Richard Boock, the New Zealand journalist, may never leave Australia alive - assuming, that is, he ever receives an invitation to visit the country. Yesterday, he launched a stingingly hilarious rant on Australia’s media following the recent monkey-business:
Then there was the Australian cricket media who, with a few notable exceptions, appear to be the most sycophantic group of arse-crawlers ever assembled in one nation, to the extent that it was impossible last week to gain any sort of accurate or at least balanced picture of proceedings.
New Zealanders really know how to wind up the Aussies. Read the full piece here.
CommentsOn effigies, cheating and monkeys
By Jonathan Liew 9 months ago, Comments
This has all the makings of an Asia-Rest of the World showdown that has been threatening a denouement for several years now. I really hope not.
But first things first: fire and the burning of effigies don’t exactly have the same significance they might have in Britain or Australia. Fire is an intrinsic part of Indian culture - at a Hindu wedding, for example, a fire sacrifice is made, and the bride and groom have to walk around it seven times. And nobody really takes the death threats seriously. And the donkey thing - well, that was just funny. Some of Benson’s Kent team mates will have had a good chuckle at that.
As for cheating - well, there’s no evidence anybody deliberately cheated. Walking is nice, but not compulsory, and while some of the appealing and catch-claiming was pure, cynical gamesmanship, it wasn’t illegal. It’s therefore a disciplinary issue alone, to be discussed at length in an air-conditioned room with plenty of cold drinks available.
And the ‘racist slur’ - it doesn’t really matter if the word ‘monkey’ is racist or not. We can’t be sure it was said. There was certainly enough evidence to charge Harbhajan (and possibly Symonds too) with verbal abuse, but Mike Proctor and the ICC are really going to wish they hadn’t opened up the whole ‘racist’ can of worms. How - I mean, honestly, how - did they think this was going to end?
But however wronged India may feel, they’re forgetting rule number one of cricket - get on the field and play. You can get angry afterwards. Let’s hope that the TV companies have a quiet word with the BCCI. Perhaps money can achieve what diplomacy clearly can’t.
CommentsVideo of Harbhajan and Symonds sledging
By Will 9 months ago, Comments
Well why not? Here are the winning pair in their now infamous day three tussle. The best line is from Ian Chappell right at the end, when he says “I’m not sure Matthew Hayden would be my choice as UN peace-keeper”. Hayden was an intermediary, stepping in to break things up.
Click here if you can’t see the video above.
CommentsHarbhajan banned; India apoplectic
By Will 9 months ago, Comments
So Harbhajan Singh has been banned for three Tests after calling Andrew Symonds a monkey. This is the correct decision, but the fallout could be quite monstrously messy.
There are already reports (from the never-really-to-be-trusted Press Trust of India) that India are considering abandoning their tour of Australia. Judging by the splenetic feedback we received today at Cricinfo (much of it was unprintable and vile), the issue many people have isn’t with Harbhajan but the umpires. I watched a TV news channel in India hold an impromptu discussion surrounding it. “Umpired out in Sydney” screamed the headline. “India fall victim of umpires” read another. One member of the audience said that if Bucknor were to visit India, he wouldn’t return alive. It was greeted with warm applause.
Yes, India, I’m afraid you were victim of some absolutely horrific umpiring decisions and I’m sure Mark Benson and Steve Bucknor will be penalised accordingly. But do not expect players to walk: this is not part of cricketers’ clauses in their contract. It is up to the umpires to adjudge whether a player is out or not and, if they say it’s not out - then live with it. There is a vast amount of luck involved in sport; what comes around goes around.
Frankly, I find the BCCI’s decision to demand an investigation into the umpiring pathetic. Every other country has series like these, where decisions go against them, but everything related to Indian cricket seems to be magnified to an extraordinary level; that they are victimised and the whole cricket world is against them, when it is not. It wouldn’t surprise me if the Indian government get involved in the next few days.
Equally, the attitude of Ricky Ponting and some of the Australians was extraordinary in the extreme. Appealing to Benson for Dravid’s wicket, which was turned down, Ponting sunk to his knees and was muttering away as though nothing had gone Australia’s way in the entire Test. Come off it, Ricky. In situations like these, when you’ve clearly had the immense rub of the green, some diplomacy and dignity would count for rather a lot.
What a shambles. Happy new year everyone.
CommentsSymonds was called a ‘monkey’ by Harbhajan
By Will 9 months ago, Comments
This is very messy indeed. Apparently - and this is to be taken with a bucketful of salt - Harbhajan Singh called Andrew Symonds a monkey during their altercation yesterday. This is according to Chetan Chauhan, the India team manager, who also says the term “monkey” isn’t derogatory in India. That may be the case, but neither is it a glowing term of endearment; given the history between the pair, this excuse is pretty pathetic and smacks of a management desperately bailing themselves out. The whole affair needs nipping in the bud immediately, beginning with banning Harbhajan for the default period of such an offence (I think it’s either two Tests or four ODIs).
The problem some people will have, I imagine, is one of double standards; that Australia are allowed to sledge and no one else is. Sledging isn’t (or shouldn’t be) racist. Harbhajan’s alleged term isn’t a sledge, it’s a racist slur.
It’s pretty depressing that it should overshadow what has been a fascinating Test by all accounts. Worse still, what impact will this case have on the future of international cricket? Last year, I went to a number of Associate matches in Kenya and Ireland. And before each game, a variant of the following rule (clause 3.3 of the ICC Code of Conduct) was read out (at most of Kenya’s venues, but only some in Ireland because the PA often forgot):
…language or gestures that offends, insults, humiliates, intimidates, threatens, disparages or vilifies another person on the basis of that person’s race, religion, colour, descent or national or ethic origin…
How crap and depressing it would be if this became standard practice at all international games. But, in the world we live in these days, this could easily become the norm.
Your thoughts on the issue are welcome.
Comments‘Jam this big bastard’
By Will last year, mid-December, Comments
Great piece from Peter English on Andrew Symonds and Adam Gilchrist’s use of the mic:
CommentsThe same players who were frightened by the thought of allowing some of their language to be broadcast in Tests, particularly in South Africa and Bangladesh, where the effects microphones are usually more sensitive to fielding chatter, allowed an insight into their real lives. To see the men, who commentated a couple of overs without much intervention from their former team-mates in the Nine box, operate so candidly in a game they were treating fairly seriously was a shock. They displayed their personalities with thoughtful and revealing remarks alongside jokey-blokey jibes in a way that most athletes don’t - or won’t - during the short times granted for cliché-filled press conferences.
Symonds and Sreesanth boxing bout?
By Will last year, at the start of December, Comments
Andrew Symonds and S Sreesanth, who had a catty fight two months ago, are being lined up to take part in a boxing match at the end of the Australian summer, according to secondsout.com, a boxing website.
While he wouldn’t confirm or deny the proposal to SecondsOut on Tuesday, after the suggested cross football code fight between Willie Mason from the NRL and Barry Hall from the AFL fell through, rumour has it that Angelo Hyder is now trying to make a boxing match at the end of the summer between Andrew Symonds from the Australian cricket team and his fiery Indian fast bowling rival Shanthakumaran Sreesanth. The two had some animated verbal exchanges during the last Australian one day match tour of India in October and more is expected when the four Test match series between the teams begins in Melbourne on Boxing Day.
Symonds would flatten him like a pancake, wouldn’t he?
CommentsBill Lawry: it’s backyard cricket war
By Will last year, at the end of October, Comments
Any excuse to put up a video involving Bill Lawry, the most impersonated man at Cricinfo Towers. Ford, who sponsor all Cricket Australia vehicular needs, are declaring “Backyard Cricket War” on the country. I’m not quite sure what that means, but there are two videos to show featuring Michael Clarke, Andrew Symonds, Mike Hussey…and Matthew Hayden in an apron.
Look out for Bill’s cameo at the end of the second.
One-zip
As ever, visit the site if you can’t see the videos above.[via]
CommentsHarbhajan and Symonds find resolution
By Will last year, at the end of October, Comments
I don’t know why but Harbhajan Singh and Andrew Symonds appear to have settled their differences. They’ve hooked up with a couple of lady friends and decided that the best way to resolve their spat is with a damn good dance. Click here if you can’t see it below (takes a while to load).
CommentsNotes from the pavilion for October 20th
By Will last year, mid-October, Comments
Links of note from the past 24 hours:
- Trevin Bastiampillai - What a brilliant name
- Howard gives $6.5m for Bradman museum -
- Don and Pup bring cricket history to life - Clarke does the one-stump trick ala Bradman in an Australian TV commercial. Anyone got the video to share?
- Strain tells on Symonds - Victimisation by the media? This is out of control
Notes from the pavilion for October 17th
By Will last year, mid-October, Comments
Links of note from the past 24 hours:
- Cricinfo - Monkey chants controversy in Mumbai too - This is becoming increasingly uncomfortable…
- Cricinfo - Jones set for Worcestershire move - Is this the most expensive hospital pass in cricket transfer history? Come on…how long will he last, seriously?
- Cricinfo - Harmison signs for Lions - This will be worth keeping a close eye on
- The ageless Kim Barnett - He’s still going strong. At 47
‘World cricket all but paralysed’
By Will last year, mid-October, Comments
You know your sport’s in a real mess when, in the space of 12 months, it can host a disastrous World Cup; investigate a murder; have an umpire take the game’s governing body to court; host a much more successful World Cup six months later but not call it a World Cup. Oh, and racism has popped up its ugly duplicitous head again.
The ICC has lost all credibility. I don’t know of another governing body in any sport which is quite so dysfunctional, and this latest spate of racism will further divide the Members unless the ICC - and India - act now. I refer you to Patrick Smith’s excellent column:
WORLD cricket is all but paralysed. The ruling body cannot make a decision that is not compromised. Bowling has been reduced to throwing, umpiring to the art of convenience, racial abuse to a point of view. Player behaviour teeters on the brink of violence.
Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralidaran is outside the law, so change the law and not the action. The ICC considers Darrell Hair umpires by the book and is not a buddy of the players. Sack him.
Pakistan and India refuse to appoint officers to investigate racism in the sport. The ICC has been reduced to writing letters that are ignored and beating the heat in Dubai. Apparently Pakistan and India players and supporters can only be offended and never offensive.
Racial vilification has been redefined. What is said is no longer critical, but who says it to whom is at its heart. So Symonds is vilified by Indian supporters and it goes unheard and ignored. CA whimpers its concern but fails to report the matter officially.
I don’t believe any sport is rife with racism. Not at all. But sportsmen are as much members of society as the rest of us, and we are living in a confused and fragmented world these days. Sport can reflect that with uncomfortable clarity.
CommentsAndrew Symonds hits out
By Scott last year, mid-October, Comments
Fresh after being subjected to monkey chants, Andrew Symonds has struck back by smashing a brilliant century in the sixth ODI. He’s also had a bit to say in a newspaper column.
Right now, I’m not allowed to comment on exactly what went on. But I’m not the most deadly serious bloke. Life goes on.
One thing I can comment on is that’s there is quite a bit of feeling between the two sides. Now that it’s started, I can’t see things changing greatly. We certainly won’t be taking a backward step.
The feeling has come from the carry-on that surrounded their Twenty20 world cup win. When we got here, it was just everywhere.
Our blokes thought it was really over the top. Some of the things their players have been given and the way they are treated, it’s like they are rock stars and princes.
…..
Since winning the Twenty20, the Indians have been very chirpy. Our first one-dayer was a very verbal affair and the third game was the same.
It was nice to give them a real thumping (in game five). They were very quiet after that game.
To be honest, I think they are showing a bit of bravado.
We’ve had the edge on them here and we’ll get them again in Australia this summer.
To be honest, I’d rather there was rather less of the verbals and a little bit more concentrating on batting and bowling. So far, the sixth ODI has been rather more peaceable- hopefully this trend will continue.
CommentsHandbags at 22 yards
By Scott last year, at the start of October, Comments
Thanks to work commitments, I didn’t see much of the second ODI between Australia and India that seems to have stirred up something of a hornet’s nest, with boys behaving badly on both sides. But from what I have seen, it has been pretty pathetic, and the captains on both sides need to tell their players to pull their heads in and stop acting the goat.
That goes double for Australia. The entire team is pretty much full of experienced players who should know better then to get involved in slanging matches. For example, Symonds should have stayed out of it when Sreesanth tried to confront Brad Haddin-Â Haddin was showing with the bat that he was quite capable of looking after himself.
It’s a bad sign, because in the next twelve months or so, India and Australia are basically going to be in each other’s faces all the time- a nightmare of bad scheduling again. So it would be good if they could all get along.
CommentsJust a bit of hit and giggle, or is it more?
By Scott last year, mid-August, Comments
Andrew Symonds likes Twenty20 for the fun, but he is worried it might be taken too seriously.
One of the game’s most exciting batsmen, Symonds takes a laid-back approach to Twenty20, much like his autograph signing session at Brisbane’s Ekka yesterday - he turned up with bare feet.
“It’s a game of fun for me,” Symonds, 32, said. “But it looks like it’s heading down the serious route, unfortunately.”
The Australian selectors have named a full-strength line-up for the inaugural tournament, which begins in South Africa on September 11. However, Symonds says the players are yet to discuss their approach for the championship.
“Playing the (Twenty20) games in the past, the captain doesn’t mind if you interact with the kids in the crowd and muck around a bit, but now I don’t know if that’s going to be the case. I think it may end up heading down that serious road,” he said. “I think in the end pride will take over and it will end up being a full-blown battle.”
30 years ago, Australia’s cricketers had a similar attitude to the 50 over game. It will be interesting to see how attitudes evolve over time.
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