I accept that sledging is a part of cricket and most incoming batsman can expect a few words when they reach the middle. But over this summer it seems to have grown much uglier.
Australia and India have always had a love-hate relationship, and things are not improving. The incident involving Andrew Symonds and Harbhajan Singh did not help and the pot’s been boiling ever since.
By David Warner’s own admission, the Australian and Indian teams did not get together, mingle and have a beer after the Test series concluded in Sydney. That is a far cry from last summer when the English team, after being hammered 5-0 in the Ashes, were invited into the Australian rooms for a beer – an offer they accepted.
Any animosity was concluded over a drink. Not a bad thing.
I’m not suggesting that the same invite was not afforded to the Indian players but whether it was and not accepted by the Indians or not offered at all, it says much about the state of affairs between these two teams.
When I grew up watching cricket, sledging wasn’t something you heard much about, mainly because of the standard of technology at the time – no stump microphones and cameras for starters. So the cliché of ‘what happens in the middle stays in the middle’ was adhered to and probably acceptable. I still believe from a player’s perspective that should be the case.
But in this day and age that perspective is also probably naive.
During the four-Test series both sides had many a player willing to mouth off, but they each had a prime combatant. In India’s corner was Virat Kohli, who would get involved even if meant coming from 50 feet away to do so. In Australia’s corner was Warner, who was in everything.
It’s well documented that Warner asked Rohit Sharma to speak English because he doesn’t speak nor understand Hindi. I guess that is fair enough. My issue is that Warner insists it was a polite request. I’ve seen the replay and I see nothing polite in it at all. And so I took his explanation for his actions on Monday morning radio as nothing but the words of someone who knows he came very close to crossing the line.
The exchange on Sunday was aggressive from both sides, which is hardly surprising because it’s been like that all summer.
And it’s getting boring. Really boring. It has the capability, if it continues on its current path, to take away from the great game. With respect to the last Test series we talk about a few things: Steve Smith and Virat Kohli’s incredible run rates, and the ugly scenes in the middle.
So when will enough be enough? For me it’s now.
You have a responsibility to act your age and act accordingly, and playing for your country – be it Australia or India – demands that.
mattyb
Guest
David Warner needs to accept that he is short.If he can't accept it he needs to get help.
Nick
Guest
Irony would be to write an article about how boring stories on sledging are, not writing one about the issue itself. Nice try though
HarryT
Guest
jameswm, the point is, that there is no counter to sledging. You can pretend to ignore it or you can give as good as you get, but once it starts the damage is done. Umpires can't do anything and the district board are reluctant to get involved in any controversy.
Heather
Guest
The problem with David Warner is that he is only 1.70m tall. A clear case of short man syndrome. Maybe a shrink will do the trick. As for inviting the Indian team for a beer in the Australian dressing room: culturally insensitive move, most of those guys don't drink. Try tea.
Trigger
Guest
Nothing just like our test umpires and admin are doing nothing .
Trigger
Guest
So true Matt and pope ,the toughen up princess stuff just gets people to suppress everything and it's damaging. And yes we need to help kids to stand up to that sort of behaviour ,but to use the justification that it happens ,deal with it princess is dinosaur thinking.Times are changing thankfully and people are not willing to have their children bullied which is what all this BS sledging is,mind games and intimidation ,who can be the biggest smart arse or give the best comeback ,dear dear dear it is so puerile. . But actually having sledging coached ,now that is a new low .That coach has totally lost the plot . You know JMW I agree kids and in fact adults need to be taught to stand up to bullying and sledging ,but also as a community we have a right to stand up and say enough of his disgusting behaviour and I certainly wouldn't let my child be on the end of that sort of rubbish . Dave Warner actually needs some help . And also JMW you may think that you are ok with the sledging and abuse,you may not show it but if you are getting constant put downs one way or another it does affect you even if you don't show it on the surface ,you may block it out to some degree but some of it gets through and has a bigger affect than you think. As Pope said it comes back later in life
Matt
Roar Rookie
All this "harden up princess" attitude is not only misinformed, it's actually counterproductive - these people don't actually know anything about development psychology. The wrong formative experiences actually negatively affect coping mechanisms - they are not professional sports players. Preaching this stuff wreaks of self-affirmation, justify their own terrible behaviour to themselves.
jameswm
Guest
What were the unpires doing?
jameswm
Guest
A cricket U15 team you mean? Sounds like you needed a quick drinks break to have a chat to the batsmen, as soon as you became aware of it. A tactic like that should only work once though. And of course it's short sighted. Bridges burned.
Pope Paul VII
Guest
You might be surprised at how many adults get a cuddle as a result of events in their childhood. Often they cry now and held their tears when they were young. I agree with you that coping methods for the young are vital but bullying is not acceptable nor inevitable. The same with sledging in sport, or more accurately, bullying.
Matt
Roar Rookie
Yeah don't confuse us all as either being in the Warner apologist camp or the anti-sledging "brigade". Most of don't care, but happy to make fun of Warner as he looks like blubbering, red-faced hick. Although, when a Warner or a Kohli stops the play to front up to someone and tell them how their feelings are hurt, that does annoy me. Sledging is an old sport, and when it's done best you don't need to get in someone's face to do it. Just get on with it
Sideline Comm.
Guest
*Piece.
JMW
Guest
But it happens so better that the adults teach their charges how to deal with it effectively instead of running home to mummy. One day they'll be on their own in a world full of snarling dogs and snapping sharks.
JMW
Guest
It would be more instructive to teach young minds how to cope with bullying than it is to eradicate it. Sticks and stones is a kindergarten verse developed for a reason. Nobody cuddles adults. Human nature being what it is there is an inherent tribal instinct to assert superiority and establish a pecking order. In any social situation pecking orders exist. People can be seen to circle the Alpha male warily. Posturing, sniping, baring teeth, crushing hand shakes and snide remarks. It happened to me at primary school. Who were the bullies copying at 5 years of age? It happened in Little Aths, who were the role models? It happened in soccer, footy, baseball and cricket. It happened at home and in the workplace. Bullying continued to this day. What changed for me was developing a hardness to resist it and respond more positively to it. Crying had no effect and arguably encouraged more of the same. Standing up to bullies and eliminating the perceived fear their taunts harboured was the most liberating experience. Oddly enough, when I did that some former bullies were befriended and mate ship formed from the respect earned in a combatitive situation. I'll bet there are people posting here who have experienced that. Whining, complaining, those reactions never accomplish anything. Dealing proactively and acting responsibly achieve much more. Let's teach our children coping strategies. Who has the problem then?
World in Cricket
Guest
I agree with you Trigger - this JMW guy sounds like a bit of a sledging larrikin himself. In the case of an U15's cricket match it is certainly NOT acceptable
Trigger
Guest
This is where you are dead wrong JMW ,if that story is true it's absolutely pathetic that that occurred in an u15 match . That coach and team should've been suspended . That's low ,and calling them nancy boys seriously JMW !?!?! ? Really tough 11 guys all ganging up on the two guys out in the middle ,that's pathetic . Wow and we are trying to stop that sort of stuff happening in a school,yard but it's all good on the cricket field !!!!!!!
JMW
Guest
I can, I've been making a point of it for several moronic sledging articles now. I sledge, nobody dies and pretty soon the opponents to sledging willingly and enthusiastically embrace the concept. It's not only ironic it's hypocritical and reveals the anti-sledge brigade for the people of convenient principles that they are. It's amusing in a sadly predictable way ;)
HarryT
Guest
In a grand final I witnessed the complete disintegration of an U15 team because of the nasty relentless sledging by the other team. Tough composed batsmen were coming off the field balling their eyes out. It was clearly a planned tactic, but when confronted, their coach who was also the district rep coach, shrugged his shoulders and claimed they had done nothing wrong according to the rules.
Sideline Comm.
Guest
Don't lump us all in with these limpets, Biltongbek. Only a select few are stuck on the topic.
Sideline Comm.
Guest
Agreed. What's boring, is the topic of sledging as an article peace. I can't believe there is another one. Please, Roar editors, make it stop!