A fair bit is being said about the revamped, tougher talking and walking Aussies at the moment, and why not? Self belief and attitude are such integral parts of a winning performance in sport.
Firstly i'll start that Hey-dids has spoken out in the media saying England should, "Get over it!"
I don't know if he is that correct in doing this. I have read both KP and Cook saying it ok, not out of control, part of the game and basically expected from Australia so they aren't upset. Maybe that is their return of serve, "Doesn't worry me!" to counter any benefit that it seems Australia get from being lippy. But i don't think so.
Many a commentator laments the lack of, 'going into the oppositions change rooms for a beer after the game'. Be that as it may, many were not professional or played the later parts of their careers in the very under-paid professional era. The Ashes is the closest thing to war for our countries and the media and public glare are intense- positive results are paramount and socialising can come after the series or careers.
If England expect Australia to go verbal out of habit, they must have been stunned at the timid attitudes they received in the first 2 Tests. CA's wrist slapping and finger-waving after the heated Indian summer brings into sharp focus how little they understand the needs of their own team.
India were bloody big sooks that tour, prepared to let their players mutter barbs but threatening to take their bat and ball and go home when said player should have been pulled into line. Instead, we have our players dragged over the coals and subsequently their standard MO of playing affected; NOT GOOD ENOUGH CA!
Sure we are renowned as verbally hard when it comes to 'gamesmanship', and i'm not saying stepping onto the turf permits carte blanche remarks, but even professionals normally have a pretty good idea of where the line is, and if India and CA don't like the way we play- TUFF_TITTY!
CA have done SFA of late and India can hold their top ranking (after RSA, do they still) another way, sans pissing and moaning.
To their credit, i have not heard Poms carry on about it in the media (maybe a bit on the field but that just looks like them trying to play the same game) -correct me if i'm wrong- and if it lifts our guys MORE I SAY!
We here so much about other longer established nations "cultures", well this is clearly part of ours. i have experienced it at every level and type of sport i've played, and quite frankly it has no effect on me. i don't dish it out only because i'm slower than a slug on rohypnol and would only embarrase myself and then loose my cool and concentration... but i don't care what anyone else says.
this has been another session of
stoph verismo
for
down the wicket
Sledging is an irreconcilable issue to me. It's the English media that has gone nuts over the Perth verbals; as well as the pitch and anything else they could complain about - including the arrival of players' partners!
ReplyDeleteSiddle should keep his inexperienced mouth shut. He's not a senior player. If Aus want to say something about it get Hussey to say it. Unless you've proven yourself you have nothing to say. 1 six-for doesn't give you the right to make statements in the media about or to the opposition. McGrath had cred, nuff said.
I'm pretty clear about mouthing off in the middle. Personally over time I've learned to filter when I bat so I hear everything but only pay attention to what I want/need to. Having said that I so rarely get sledged I almost forget what it's like. Being captain I'm conscious of how the boys behave and so far this season we've behaved well; but getting smashed (until Sat when we had our first win!). On the weekend just gone a few guys got stuck into one big guy about his appearance and I don't like this. Keep it about cricket, only cricket. If you want to tell a guy where he's going to get caught, that he can't hit it off the square etc then go for your life. BUT, if your team gets belted then you look and sound stupid in my view. It's almost like you earn the right to be verbal. Our nemesis in the hills has been successful for so long and they know it. Therefore they are really cocky and arrogant in the field and let you know how shit they think you are. This is fine to me. God knows when I'm in a position to tell their bloke what I've just done to his figures I bloody will.
India were a bunch of sooks. And still are I think. It's a pity but odd because Dhoni, Tendulkar, Dravid, Laxman and other don't seem bothered about the verbal stuff and don't seem to dish it out. I think herein lies the most interesting thing. With Aus you can get told by anyone at all that you suck, but in some other countries the keeper and bowler are the only ones who give you hell.
In terms of going into the dressing room after play, I don't think professionalism vs amateurism has much to do with it. I think Aus through Waugh and Ponting became far too insular and aloof in realtion to the opposition. Perhaps it's Border's fault from 1989 (but we won back the Ashes). It's ridiculous to think that you can't be chummy off the field and fierce on it. All the Ashes players from the 70s speak the same - irrespective of which country you played for - about how the teams played to win and fought hard but once 'time' was called it was into the rooms and sharing a beer. If the separation of teams after play is consistent around the world, though, then you may be right Stoph about going pro.
As for my sledging, I must admit I don't say much. I don't bowl anymore and don't start a verbal with anyone. If I'm left alone I extend the same courtesy. If I think I can get into someone's head by being verbal, when they're batting, I talk about them to team mates within their ear-shot. I do it through field placements as well. With the young blokes you can definitely talk the into a dismissal. The older fellas have been around too long to fall for that.
I think the issue in Perth is more about aggression than sledging. There was probably more 4 letter words thrown into sentences than any real words expressing anything. Just let them go; there's umpires there for a reason.
great response mate- very thoughtful and considered.
ReplyDeleteI think it was KP that claimed most of the sledging hype was media driven.
I think Siddle's reactions are inevitable, he see's himself as part of the 'fast bowling cartel' (to quote Flem), and that the cartels responsibility is pounding them in and chirpin them out. So he's going to do it regardless of his longevity in the team- and while i agree that seniors should drive the chat, Huss just doesn't come across as the type to trash talk.
you are right about getting it from all quarters here, but as i said, i think it is cultural and if other countries don't, that is there way and their choice.
i for one think that once off the field people should be able to get together and replay the day without the heat of competition effecting the comradeship of the actual game... but when everyone from DTW and up (or down) demands results, players will inevitably be..."profession." As to when the shift from social to competitive - and therefore the demise of the after day beer- i'll have to rewatch my abc box set.
i do agree about Perth being about aggression, but i think they contrived it within themselves by starting with the mouth and pushing it to the brain and the body then followed.
let's hope it follows on at the G!
Sledging....why is that even a term in the Australian lexicon?
ReplyDeleteIt's something that is part of cricket from when you are 7 years old and so is just a part of cricket.
Where is the issue???
If there is one then it is with the Media and so doesn't matter.
If Siddle wants to say something and it doesn't work or rattle the Soap Dodgers, fine.....but he should be allowed to say it. Why are there different rules when you are in the Australian Test team? Oh, of course, you are in the spotlight and are a role model...Get stuffed this is one area where cricketers can, should...NAY, MUST be themselves, THEY are the gladiators in the arena and they are the ones that will live and die by the sword. Wait until you are of Glenn McGrath's stature until you can say anything??? No, It is incumbent on the Australian team, any player in the Australian team to use their natural instincts to play the game ON FIELD OR OFF to the best of their ability. Without censorship.
I don't see the issue with a bit of verbal out in the middle. As long as it doesn't get racial....well that's the official line and I'm going to stick to it.
ReplyDeleteSledging is always very personal with race and sexual orientation being considered taboo however being fat, short, skinny or whatever is fair game.
As a wicket keeper I find it is almost expected to give a commentary on just about every ball. The beauty is I don't have to do it loud because more often than not I am up at the stumps with the batsman quite close.
I do love the odd "Don't worry mate you were nowhere near that one" when the ball has just missed the bat. Or "You can tell me the truth, where were you trying to hit that one?" if he gets one over the top.
I don't really get personal with appearances and such, but I have it plenty when I am batting. Being short and more than a little portly opens me up for a vast array of insults and I have to admit I like to diffuse it by replying in kind.
I never start it as a batsman but I will go along with it. It makes for an interesting afternoon if nothing else and some guys are very amusing.
As for the top level cricketers the whole thing is clouded by the vastly different cultures of the players. What is OK to one person may be genuinely insulting to another.
There ara rules in place about the naughty subjects and as long as the players abide by them it should be GAME ON.
KP says, "...Prth was just a little hiccup...."
ReplyDelete267 little hiccups at once sounds like an implossion to me!
It's funny that Aus were obviously fired up, won by a mile, and now this topic is up for discussion again. The main cricket writers, media dudes etc have no problem with it; even sections of CA have said that after India in Sydney the players were told that they needed to curb their enthusiasm and one bloke admitted this directly brought about a poorer performance as players second-guessed themselves.
ReplyDeleteReally there are two umpires there who are not unaware of what's happening, I hope, so what's the big issue? Anyone who's watched a bloke nick through slips 3 times and flashed wildly without moving his feet - but somehow manages to get 20 - knows that that is bullshit and he needs to be told he's shit! God knows when I'm getting a lucky break I don't pretend I've been playing good shots.
Sledgie, after facing your verbal barrage in the nets I'm not surprised by your sentiments. You'd be ruthless in the middle!
Perth was more than a hiccup; Aus played very very well and England played poorly. The teams should always have stacked up well against each other for this series. Admittedly England batted brilliantly in the first 2 tests, and Aus were below their best but Perth, I think, was a bit of a reminder that these teams are not far apart from each other. I am glad to have been proven wrong in thinking Aus would struggle to get 20 wickets. The ominous sign for England is that there's a few batsmen for Aus that haven't fired yet; who are good batsmen. Yes I mean Clarke and Ponting. You can quote me as saying Clarke will make a ton in Melbourne.
Under the Southern Cross I stand!
Beware the injured batsman. Ponting to make plenty in Melbourne. He is a scrapper and I think the injury wil give him the pressure relief he needs to get through the early tough patch.
ReplyDeleteClarke is not right and I think he will struggle again. I blamed the day in the field for his malady in Brisbane but Adelaide he had no such load before he batted.
Poor shot selection and laziness are the mark of a player struggling for both form and fitness.