It’s not enough to put a couple of scapegoats on gardening leave. Cricket needs a paradigm shift. The culture is toxic and now is the opportunity to draw a line in the sand.
What transpired in Cape Town was a disgrace, which went against the laws of the game – and should have been against its spirit.
But this has been a nasty and spiteful series, dominated by a sledging culture, punctuated by physical clashes. And in a series where sportsmanship is already so low, to resort to cheating has been entirely within what the spirit of the game has become.
That needs to change.
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» “Australian cricket is in deep s***”: Michael Clarke not satisfied with CA response
» Matt Renshaw must replace Cameron Bancroft permanently
The warning signs have been present for ages.
The ‘ugly Australian’ term has been in use for many years. An unpleasant whiff of the sledge has been constantly in the air. But nothing’s been done; the spirit of the game has been allowed to deteriorate.
And eventually, inevitably, it blew up.
This nasty, win-at-all-costs mentality could have been nipped in the bud long before it got to this.
So what’s going to happen? The three central players have been given a holiday from the game for a while. But if that’s all that happens, it may treat a symptom, but not the disease.
With crisis comes opportunity. Here is a golden chance to repair the image of the game.
A chance to end the disrespect of opponents. A chance to end the sledging culture. A chance to present a likeable, friendly and sportsmanlike image to our national team, replacing the aggressive culture that has been prevalent for so long.
But it can’t come from one nation alone. The spirit of international cricket must be carried by all the nations that play it.
For years, there’s been bad blood between countries. There have been numerous incidents and the powers that be have been weak in dealing with it. Even during the current series, Kagiso Rabada was allowed to get away with a physical bump on an opponent.
But no more.
Cricket needs not just the MCC Laws, not just playing conditions for a series. It needs a code of conduct that is strictly enforced.
One where sledging is outlawed. One where ill-tempered outbursts are outlawed. One where players in the other team are treated as opponents, not enemies.
Now is the opportunity to change the game for the better. To restore the spirit of the game to that which was originally intended.
Are the cricketing authorities up for the challenge that this opportunity presents? Are they capable of restoring a spirit of sportsmanship to the game?
Probably not.
Paul
Roar Guru
So you know HOW that Australia is the only nation "loathed and despised for it's behaviour on the field"? In other words, every Australian player is tarred with the same brush, but can be invited to play in all sorts of competitions around the world. What hypocracy You think India for one is well liked around the world for it's antics? I'm sorry to say you're wrong when you have a leader like Kohli who is a step away from Warner in the "impossible to like" stakes. There are more than a few other players from other sides who's on field behaviour is as bad or worse. The good thing is, we're dealing with it and as this article suggests it would be good for other nations to get onside as well.
Ginger Meggs
Guest
Since Kerry Packer showed them how the CA has become a professional money making enterprise, constantly stoked up by the evolving forms of the game and the TV money that they have generated. Accordingly the players have become the golden geese, no pun intended. Over the intervening years the Australian team has had the talent to hold down the Best in World title for considerable periods but unfortunately felt the need to go for, and attain, and proudly hold, the World Sledging title in perpetuity as well. A goodly number of their fans thought that this was a fine thing, many did not, and the CA administrators did nothing to deter it, despite several ugly incidents. The ascendency of the players was complete when a clique of their senior members, and a number of their Old Boys club, managed to get rid of coach Buchanan, a disciplinarian, not one of the boys, and without the qualification of a baggy cap, who has been replaced by Boof, a perpetuator of the boy’s club culture in which he had been a participant. The CA administration has concerned themselves with developing the overfull schedule and arguing the toss with the players as to how to split the resulting loot and the players were left to be responsible for their own behaviour. And now they have come a gutzer.
mds1970
Roar Guru
Both the early comments from Hoy and Akkara have something in them; even though there's some contradiction. Australia are not the only country to have done the wrong thing; although they do seem to be worse than most. But one country alone can't fix this. It needs to be something that the whole cricket world resolves to clean up.
Akkara
Roar Rookie
I agree with you, a culture change is called for. You seem to feel that it should not be Australia alone. I can assure you that there is no other nation that is loathed and despised for its behaviour on the field. It is singularly Australia. While some minor sledging prevails outside of Australia, most sledging done by other nations is towards Australia as a reponse. Bredan McCallum took New Zealand to the next level of showing us the other cheek.
Hoy
Roar Guru
I agree a shift is needed, but I am sick and tired of the hypocritical world attacking the Aus cricket team. Like other teams aren't sledging and ball tampering etc... Not to excuse any of the actions from the Aus tamperers, but honestly... Give it a rest hypocrites.