We’re churning out genetically modified cricketers
Roar Guru
By vinay verma, 17 Jun 2009 Vinay Verma is a Roar Guru
- Tagged:
- Andrew Symonds, Cricket, Cricket Australia, The Ashes
Cricket Australia is seeking to alter the natural DNA of our cricketers. In the future, their marketability will be determined by independent consultants and critical to their marketing component will be the “likeability” factor.
Presumably,our cricketers will be given a refresher course in how to present themselves. Lights, action and cameras. Is this what Australian Ccicket has come to ?
The hypocrisy stands condemned when they abandon Symonds for imbibing one too many. These are the same administrators that gladly accept the largesse of a brewing company. How can they be sanctimonious when the VB logo is worn next to the Australian Coat of Arms ?
It is regrettable that former trusted teammates like Ponting and Clarke have distanced themselves from Symonds.
What happened to standing up for your mates? Has the lure of a guaranteed 1.5 million dollars dulled their sensibilities? Assured pay even if you do not play.
Shane Watson could not hide his glee at the misfortune of his erstwhile teammate.
Arthur Mailey and Keith Miller turned up for matches in their top hats and tails. We celebrated the daring do of these colourful characters and the legend grows with every passing summer. These were men of substance and character that was reflected more n their deeds than in their images.
These men respected their employer but were never subservient.
Ian Chappell fought long and hard with the Don for better pay. Cricketers of this generation owe a debt of gratitude to those that went before. The Trumpers, Davidsons, Benauds, Lindwalls and Harveys.
The current generation of players are fortunate that the game affords them riches beyond their wildest dreams. As they prepare to do battle for the Ashes, they would do well to remember that some of our heroes from another age died solitary in their despair.
Cricket has a spirit that is indomitable and will survive the artificiality created men of singular commerciality. Stanford sold West Indies Cricket down the marketing drain. It is hoped our administrators will be able to strike a balance between rewarding our cricketers and spoiling them.
These cricketers have an opportunity to prove to us that they are worthy of the rewards and conscious of the legacy bequeathed to them.
It is time cricketers became masters of their destiny instead of slaves to an image.
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- Explore:
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Kersi Meher-Homji said | June 17th 2009 @ 10:04am | Report comment
That’s a terrific post, Vinay. You have your finger on the pulse of Oz cricket.
What a difference between our personal lifestyle and what we expect from our cricketers from 1960s to now!
In the past to live together and have babies out of wedlock was considered a big no-no. And Rod Marsh and David Boon boasted of drinking maximum cans of beer on flight from Sydney to London.
Now to get married is optional, but to have a few beers a day has become a cardinal sin for our cricketers. Especially if your name is Andrew Symonds.
Symonds has never claimed to be an angel. But to be sent back for celebrating after Queensland’s Origin win in League with a few beers and causing no trouble is hypocritical.
Nug said | June 17th 2009 @ 10:39am | Report comment
Great stuff Vinay, You are spot on. Australia needs people who can play cricket, not be the celebrities that CA wants them to be. Paying them too much will destroy them and turn our reputation of being good cricketees into a mob of easybeats.
vinay verma said | June 17th 2009 @ 10:44am | Report comment
Kersi, we all love a rogue as it reminds us that we are not perfect. Cricket needs its characters and we must accept that it is unnatural to be something you are not.
Symonds never set himself out to be paragon of virtue. You may also recall that last year CA gagged Symonds and stopped his column.
It is depressing to hear sportsmen churn out the same old “we executed the game plan” cliches at press conferences. The players are over coached. The selectors are relying on memory and the administrators are governed by market surveys. Let the players be their own men and the spectators will decide.
vinay verma said | June 17th 2009 @ 12:28pm | Report comment
Nug,CA is adept at abandoning cricketers. Remember Kim Hughes in tears? And Border fuming when Geoff marsh was dropped.Hayden was pretty shabbily treated. when all is said and done Symonds was left out to dry during the Harbhajan incident. All in the name of political correctness. The media is not entirely blameless. Philip Hughes was criticised for attending the Mundine fight. Judgement is often clouded by personal likes and dislikes.
Australian Cricket needs some new heroes. Mitchell Johnson and Hughes look the likely canditates.
Justin said | June 17th 2009 @ 12:39pm | Report comment
I have no problem with the “no dickhead” policy. How many chances does a guy need before he reforms or is fired? By the way Symonds hasnt been abandoned, he has had as much support from CA as he could wish for. It would appear they care more for him as a person than some who just want him to win a cricket match and to hell with what happens to him in his personal life.
Ponting could have easily gone down a similar path to Symonds but he made a decision to not be a “dickhead” anymore after his Bourbon and Beefsteak episode. There have been plenty of players who enjoy themselves after playing – Gilly, Langer, Katich etc but they knew they boundaries and didnt continuously cross them.
Can you elaborate on how Hayden was shabbily treated?
Michael C said | June 17th 2009 @ 12:41pm | Report comment
Vinay -
and remember how Dean Jones, after topping the averages in Sri Lanka (on the tour that M.Waugh scored all his ducks), was told that tour didn’t count and he never played test cricket again.
And Brad Hodge hugely shabbily treated in favour of the out of form Damian Martyn (who was perhaps shabbily treated in the first place) – - so, did to shabby’s make a right??
Jameswm said | June 17th 2009 @ 1:01pm | Report comment
I’m in two minds over how Symonds was treated – and I’ll remain so, considering I’ll never get the full story.
If he was given very clear conditions that “if you want to play for Australia, this is what you have to do”, then he made his choice that drinking was more important than playing for Australia. How could you select him ahead of a Marcus North who would die for the baggy green.
Whilst it seems a minor incident, remember he turned up to a WC game drunk, slurred on radio, missed a team meeting (in camp) to go fishing…the list goes on.
And as far as how Ponting and Clarke treated him – we don’t know their private conversations so we shold reserve comment. Crikeys – Ponting was roundly criticised for sticking up for his mates before, and now he’s criticised for not sticking up for them enough. The guy can’t win!!
drewster said | June 17th 2009 @ 1:23pm | Report comment
Cricket is no longer just a sport in this country. It is a big business with big dollars being paid out to top line performers and with most sports that are high profile, The players become high profile too and with this comes great responsibility to sponsors, the public and the sport itself. While I see the hypocrisy in being sponsored by a brewing companys product and the drinking sanctions imposed on players, all the while having 2 selectors that by their own deeds have enjoyed more than their fair share of the golden nectar, It seems to be the “nature of the beast” that rules are followed to the letter and thus creating a false sqeeky clean public image. The good old days of cricket have long since past where it didn’t matter whether you won or lost, but it was the piss up after the game with the players from both sides.
vinay verma said | June 17th 2009 @ 1:27pm | Report comment
Justin the point is that Symonds’ life is cricket. He has not lost his ability. His confidence and self esteem suffer when he is excluded from the one thing that means more than anything else. Playing cricket for Australia. I believe he would have made a difference to Australia in the Twenty/20 WC.
Ponting wanted symonds on the current tour. Symonds was not drunk. He was just drinking in public. These are grown up men. Employers cannot dictate what one does in his own time. Good for Ponting that he is presenting the image CA desires. That does not mean you castigate someone who does not fit the desired template. Cricketers may as well be sheep and dress in Franciscan robes. How many Angels in disguise are there in the Australian Cricket team? We dont know and nor should it be any of our business.
Hayden was on notice before the Sydney Test. He still had two years of good cricket to offer. The selectors pushed him out before his time. I put it to you that Hayden should be opening with Hughes on this Ashes Test. Katich should be batting at five instead of mike Hussey. And we are sorely missing hayden at first slip.
Just my opinion ,Justin and we can both agree to disagree.
Jameswm said | June 17th 2009 @ 1:28pm | Report comment
vinay – Hayden’s footwork had gone. I’d rather open with Hughes and katich and if you want a no.5, there are many around – Hodge and Ferguson spring to mind.