Following on from my post about Trott and depression in cricket from Monday, people have asked me about sledging and its place in cricket.
Most, (if not all) cricketers have dished out, or been on the end of a sledge. Some are funny and some are plain stupid. It is used to put an opponent off their game. But there is a difference between sledging and full-on intimidation.
The spotlight has gone on David Warner for his “weak” comment regarding Trott’s batting performance in the press conference after the first test, which happened off the park and is totally unacceptable. Michael Clarke, the captain of the Australian team threatened to break someone’s arm (and lost 20 percent of his match fee because of it). This is not sledging. This is intimidation. He should know better.
The Laws of Cricket (which, ironically, can be found on the Australia Cricket website) say the "Spirit of the Game" involves the respect for:
• Your opponents
• Your own captain and team
• The role of the umpires
• The game and its traditional values
How do Clarke’s and Warner’s words fit into this? Short answer, they don’t.
The ICC also has a Spirit of Cricket award which is handed out annually. Australia has never won it. Kiwis have won it 4 times. (We might not win games very often but we sure play with the right spirit!)
It has been suggested that sledging is part of the game. But the late-great Aussie cricket legend Sir Donald Bradman condemned it. "If a fellow attempted it under me," he said, "I would have given him one warning and if he repeated it I would have made sure he was not selected again."
I wonder what he’d think of Clarke’s actions? If the current crop of players hold Sir Donald as high a regard as they profess, then why are they doing what they are doing?
Sledging does not fit into the traditional values on the sport. Cricket is supposed to be the “gentleman’s” sport, where players adhered to and uphold what it means to be a “man”. It’s a sport in which we break to drink tea. Friendly banter has a place here. Sledging does not.
Sledging is also insidious. What is worse is that young cricketers see this going on, and then replicate it on the field. They are the future of cricket, so it’s up to us now to say this is not acceptable and stop it before sledges turn into threats that turn into broken bones.
It has been suggested the sledging will continue during the Ashes. Even the Australian coach, Darren Lehman, who should be a positive leader in all of this, has said he’s not willing to meet with English management to lay down rules of engagement when it comes to sledging.
Let’s all be a bit civilised here and be vocal in the fact that we will not accept profanities and threats of broken limbs on the field, because it’s just not cricket.
(NB: Do note, the English sledge too, but I don’t think I’ve heard them threaten to break someone’s “f***king arm”).
