Cricket, and I include Australian cricket, is suffering from ignoring the multitude of bad player behaviour, illegal activities, shortsighted decision making and the abandoning of its core values.
Each event chips away at the game’s fibre. If not addressed, each event will eventually have a cumulative and very seriously damaging effect on the fabric of the game.
Despite there being some very good journalism on The Roar’s cricket “space”, it appears that there is little interest, given the low number of contributions.
Let me explain from my own point of view. With a name like LeftArmSpinner, you can conclude that I am, or should I say was, very interested in cricket. However, I am very tired of it.
I played a lot of cricket on three continents. The values of the game were consistent and centred on the values that underpin our society: friendship, fair play, camaraderie, honesty, competitiveness on the field, humour, joy and happiness.
Where are these values now?:
1. The highest wicket taker is a cheat. His action was illegal so the rules were changed!
2. Match-fixers and bribe-takers have destroyed the game’s credibility.
3. Player behaviour is arrogant, puerile, greedy and churlish. One of the main offenders will be the next Australian Test captain.
4. Players have lost the ability to play Test cricket’s long innings and bowl the long bowling spells that define that form of the game. Now, we are served 50 over game technique but charged Test match prices!
5. The power shift to the sub continent will embed myopic and selfish decision making at the highest levels and exclude the necessary independent professional management required.
Specifically, I am tired of the countless games/tournaments/championships, etc – played in the now three forms of the game. I can’t follow them all. Frankly, I cant even bother following one of them.
Add to that the reality that the Australian cricketers are no longer the admirable and/or colourful individuals that they used to be. Where are the O’Keefe’s or “bowlologist” Fleming, the outspoken/straight talking Chappells, the working class man that is Doug Walters? Alan Border’s tenacity in the face of adversity? Tugga Waugh’s grit and Audi Waugh’s flamboyance? I could go on but it is not necessary.
The current crop has just Katich and Lee in the admirable category. But they have plenty in the idiot category; led by Clarke, add Watson, the young left hand opener from NSW who loves to waft outside off, and Hussey who has switched from admirable to idiot, succumbing to the advertising dollar.
In writing this article, I am struggling to even name the current Test team. I could go to a website but I don’t really care who the current team are and so won’t bother.
They don’t play games screened on my television or broadcast on my radio. It has now been shown that they don’t play against serious committed opponents. To think that Australian players have not succumbed to the fixer’s bribery is naive – patriotism gone mad and better suited to the hilarious Roy and HG shows. We know that Australian players have been approached because they have told us.
I am very despondent about the future for cricket’s flagship products. Even in an Ashes year, the only thing that will get my attention will be the ABC radio coverage and catching up with my mates at the SCG.
Dave1
Guest
according to the daily mail its true http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/cricket/article-1314414/Shoaib-Akhtar-caught-camera-ball-tampering-row-sours-Englands-win.html
Dave1
Guest
As Nassar Hussain said.... they are very entertaining. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/cricket/article-1314421/NASSER-HUSSAIN-Scandal-yes-electric-moments-Pakistan-leave-England.html?ito=feeds-newsxml They are everybodies second favourite team I think the cricinfo link on last nights game on facebook had over 1000 coments
Brett McKay
Guest
are you serious Leftie??
LeftArmSpinner
Roar Guru
and now we have Shoab tampering with the ball.............for at least the third time!!!!! When will they ever learn?
Dave1
Roar Rookie
SL are not completely hopeless They are ranked third in the world in tests ...above Australia http://icc-cricket.yahoo.net/match_zone/test_predictor.php and third in the world in ODI's http://icc-cricket.yahoo.net/match_zone/odi_predictor.php They made the semi finals of the last 20/20 World cup
Dave1
Roar Rookie
We didnt create the game....the English created it
Dave1
Roar Rookie
Asutralian cricketers do not pay the lowest of any male professional sport in the country http://www.smh.com.au/business/nrl-players-at-the-bottom-of-the-pile-20100309-pvrt.html "....Higher than expected earnings for Cricket Australia over the past four years meant its revenue was about $100 million above the $478 million forecast and, under a deal struck with the Australian Cricketers Association, players receive 25 per cent of total revenue generated. AFL footballers also receive a quarter of total revenue from broadcasting rights, gate takings, sponsorship, merchandising and any other income received by the 16 clubs and the central administration. Super 14 players receive 26 per cent of what is called ''player generated revenue'', a sum not comparable with total revenue because it excludes income such as foreign exchange earnings, interest received, rent and some grants. Rugby union players receive between 15 and 20 per cent of total revenue, about the same as NRL players......"
Dave1
Roar Rookie
That's a story about you, it doesnt mean anything. I couldn't name one rugby player. I don't know anybody who can name a rugby player.
Dave1
Roar Rookie
Ive said thiis before but seriously For 20 years………….Roy and HG have been mocking those who whinge abut no more characters in any game
Dave1
Roar Rookie
First two days in Sydney are sold out
Dave1
Roar Rookie
"Now the players all wear colours, the circus is in town I can no longer go down there, down to that sacred ground" Well you havnt been going to the game for 31 years cause thats how long they have been wearing colored clothing
FuLLy LoAdED MaN
Guest
Where's Kerry Packer when you need him?
Stellenbosched
Guest
Perhaps the problem with the modern professional sport era lies with those running the various sports. This obsession with making as much money as possible from each sport is starting to drive the true fan away. I was brought up in the apartheid-era South Africa. Believe me we ached for international sporting competition. When we were re-admitted it was absolutely mind-blowing to watch all this 'real' sport involving our teams. It is sad to say that I don't even know when my team is playing their next one day, T20, test match. There are too many world cups, Championships tournaments etc etc. The interval between all these tournaments also seems to vary from 9 months to two years. I give up.
Russ
Guest
And the thing stopping the ICC from letting its other 95 members play tests is what, exactly? Elitism, political blocs, self-interested full-members trying to keep their share of the pie, and every team trying to avoid playing games they assume the public won't attend... Australia and England are at least as culpable as every other ICC team. They don't demonstrate even the remotest interest in the sort of institution building that might progress the game at home and abroad. The fact is, cricket has, in Australia, the broadest geographic following, and near blanket coverage during the summer, and consistently rates well on television despite being on for long periods 4 days per week, and yet, if it wasn't for Indian and ICC money, CA would probably pay the lowest wages of any (male professional) sport in the country. If the IPL is anywhere near as corrupt and mismanaged as people claim, why haven't England or Australia managed to create a league of even remotely comparable staying power? Is it, perhaps, because they are so bound to wring every last penny out of their centrally contracted national team playing basically pointless exhibition games all year long that they've missed the bigger picture? Perhaps if Australia and England demonstrated some leadership, they might garner some respect at the ICC level. What they do is act in their short-term self-interest and get voted down by teams doing likewise. As they should be.
LeftArmSpinner
Roar Guru
DAve, the essence of cricket. the tactics and the courage and the determination to hang in for a wicket that then changes the whole game. frankly, after 5 overs, it is pretty clear who is going to win the 20/20 games anyway. sure there will be exceptions, but no one will be around to savour them. If you manage 10 off the first 5 overs, you are stuffed. equally, if you score 60 off the first 5, no one is likely to run you down. GAME OVER. Worse still, the hit miss and giggle bleeds into the other forms of the game..........and the loss of technique is palpable and very serious...........
David
Guest
I'm starting to agree. There's just too much controversy and odd decisions being made that seem to just be milking the game for money. I really dislike how India has run and organized the IPL and if that is the future of cricket i don't know if i'll stick around. The australian domestic t20 looks to be going more franchise based and introducing an auction type player distribution to isn't it? Doesn't sound good to me.... Does anyone besides the Indians actually enjoy the IPL and think it is real quality clean cricket? Seems every forum/site i'm on has people bemoaning how it is fake cricket that is ruining the game yet every country is trying to push more towards it? The player loyalties being bought up in the champions league has me irked aswell. Players shouldn't be playing against their own state side imo. Test cricket was already down to 4 or so big teams and the rest weren't really up to standard, i only see this becoming worse as more countries sides focus on 20/20 cricket and develop players like Polard who go out for a hit but i don't see lasting in a test. I'm really getting sick of all the focus and following t20's are getting the matches are just so random and talentless where no tactics and timing are required.
Brett McKay
Guest
I love hearing about the Paddington Gift. I go to the Sydney Test with a group of mates, and for the last few years our day has started with breakfast in Darlinghurst while another of the group (who is a member) regails the tale of the tape that was that day's Gift. I love that a group of people as esteemed as the SCG Members can temporarily forget who and where they are and just do what they have to do to secure seats!! So maybe not at 4am Leftie, but I'm sure we'll be able to tee something up...
Geoff Lemon
Expert
So maybe you're just not interested in cricket anymore. That doesn't make it cricket's fault.
LeftArmSpinner
Roar Guru
but can i name many players in each of the top four teams? No way. can I name the players in the top four rugby teams, yep, or the best tennis players or the best golfers, or the best sprinters. yes, yes and yes.
LeftArmSpinner
Roar Guru
OTT, the problem is that there are so few test playing countries that you cant break away.