Indian Cricket debacle

[Stu]

I'm not sure if anyone's following the story (or if its getting any attention outside Australia and India), but things have turned pretty sour between the Indian cricketing body and Australia and the ICC.

During the last test in Sydney, Indian spin bowler Harbhajan Singh (who has always been in the bad books with the aussies) patted Bret Lee on the backside following one of Lee's deliveries. Andrew Symonds (who I should mention is of West Indian decent and has darkish skin, shoulder length dreadlocks, and routinely wears zink cream on his lips) confronted Singh about the action, which he deemed inappropriate, and Singh called him a "big monkey".

[note that from here my writing becomes pretty opinionated, I'm an Aussie fan after all ]

Usually being called a money wouldn't be too big a deal, but in this case it was kind of deemed an extension of some abuse Symonds received from the crowd at an Indian one day match earlier this year. Just about the entire stadium was filled with people jeering Symonds, giving him the finger, acting like and making monkey noises, holding up banners calling him a monkey, and generally giving him a pretty hard time. Things became even nastier after he got out for a duck, they boo'd him off the entire way back to the dressing room.

Anyway, Symonds and Australian Captain Ricky Ponting weren't too happy about Singh using this term (citing that they believed he overstepped the line) and they lodged a complaint with the match referee who, after a hearing, banned Singh for 3 matches on the grounds of racial abuse.

Of course every Indian and his dog have called the Aussies a bunch of cry babies (on the basis that what's said on the field should stay on the field) and the Indian Captain Anil Kumble has stated that Australia wasn't playing in the spirit of the game. Furthermore the Indian Cricket Board is threatening to boycott the next two tests (in Perth and Adelaide) if the 3 match ban on Singh for racial abuse isn't overturned. A boycott would cost the Australian cricket board a few hundred million in lost ticket sales and tv deals, much of which would have been used to support the state competition, kangacricket (cricketing program for young kids) and other grassroots projects.

The Indian team spokesman said yesterday: "The Indian board realises the game of cricket is paramount but so too is the honour of the Indian team and for that matter every Indian. The board will fight the blatantly false and unfair slur on any Indian player."

They've also called for the sacking of the two umpires on the basis that they reckon they made some bad calls during the match (they were a few bad calls, but I think sacking them is somewhat out of line given their history of good performance).

While I can understand the whole "keep whats on the field on the field" mentality and concede that, in some ways, it's a bit like the pot calling the kettle black (the Australian team is generally regarded as being the worst sledgers in the game), I think India's threat to boycott 1/2 the series is way out of line and is a real attack on the credibility on the ICC (the games governing body).

Indian Cricket Officials have also launched a complaint against Australian bowler Brad Hogg for (non-racial) abuse, which can carry a penalty of a 1-match suspension. I don't mind to much that they're doing this (sledging ain't good for the game and I want Hogg dropped for the next 2 tests anyway), but I feel its somewhat off for the Indians to pay out the Aussies for reporting something whilst simultaneously launching a complaint of their own.

As a side note, rioters in India burned pictures and effigies of the Australian team and of the umpires, I think this has happened a few times before though, so its kind of lost its shock value.

Is the Indian cricket board becoming too powerful? Opinions/thoughts?

[Stu]

Update: India has agreed not to boycott the next two tests provided they axe Umpire Steve Bucknor for the games, get to appeal Singh's racial discrimination charge, and get to put Brad Hogg up for a hearing for using the word "bastard" on the pitch (It's near impossible to use the term offensively here, but I suppose the Indian's find it offensive or something).

Just about everyone is chastising Ponting, including yacht racers, marathon runners, and various other non-team based sportsmen from several decades ago. Most non-Australian sportsmen are even harsher (ex-England captain Tony Greig seems to be the exception), though all of Pontings team mates, both past and present, seem to be standing by his actions on the basis that the ICC specifically asked both captains to report any signs of racial abuse before the game, and Ponting was just acting out this request.

A poll in my local paper this morning suggested that 48% of Adelaidians believed that India's threat to boycott the two tests did nothing to further damage the game. This is surprising given we were set to loose our home ground game.

[Strife]

My colleagues have pretty much been discussing this all week.

First of all, context is important. One of my colleagues is an Indian, and apparently calling someone a bastard in India is a pretty big insult, which people can and have got beaten up for. They seem to intepret it as a slur on one's parentage, which they do take pretty seriously.

To be honest, I don't really see how calling someone "a big monkey" is racist. Again, context is important: I didn't know Symonds was abused during that Indian one day match, and also, Symonds is the only black person on the Australian team, if I'm not mistaken. Taking these factors into account, it's possible that Singh's comments were misconstrued as being racist in nature.

Now, both sides are at fault here. Like you said, Australia has one of the worst reputations for sledging, and it really is a case of people who live in glass houses should not throw stones. No doubt they were practising this "dark art" during the last two Test matches, and now they're *****ing and moaning bout the tables being turned on them? If you care to dish it out, you better be prepared to take it in return. The Australian team just look like a bunch of whinging crybabies to me.

Not that the Indian team fare any better - they should not have threatened to boycott the next two Tests. Appealing against Singh's ban should have been done in a proper manner, and not through such actions like threats and questioning the integrity of umpires that bring disrepute to the game. Then again, I suppose they felt that unless they took some drastic action, no one would actually take them seriously. I feel they should have just gone on with the game - use this as an impetus to try and thoroughly thrash the Aussies.

My colleague has even suggested that perhaps since India has lost the last two Tests, they're merely using this as an excuse to prevent further humiliation, which disgusts him. He is of the opinion as well that they should just get on with the game.

[Aldazar]

Well from what I've read recently, in an up-coming interview in sporting magazine Alpha, Symonds himself says that the "monkey" chant doesn't even bother him that much at all. Not knowing many of the facts leading up to this whole mess (I'm not a huge fan of cricket ) I can only go from what you guys have said in the previous few posts but it seems a bit strange to me that he would be party to the complaint.

Anyway, it does seem that the whole thing has gone way too far now especially if everyone involved is of the opinion that "what happens on the field stays on the field" and if it WAS such a big deal to Symonds and Ponting that they couldn't just let it go, perhaps they should have attempted to speak to Singh off the field, privately?

[Harbourboy]

I'm a big cricket fan and I think both sides of been a bunch of spoilt cry-babies over this. The Australians have been boorish and terrible sportsmen in this game, and the Indians have been over-sensitive and drama queens.

I'm afraid I am in the camp of the Ponting-chastisers because I think, as captain, he has to set a higher standard of behaviour and be a role model to the rest of the team, but he's been just as arrogant and loutish as the rest of them.

Just last week I was singing Ponting's praises as one of the legends of the game, but now I think he's just a clown.

[Stu]

Originally Posted by Aldazar

Well from what I've read recently, in an up-coming interview in sporting magazine Alpha, Symonds himself says that the "monkey" chant doesn't even bother him that much at all.

I'd say it does bother him (as he indicated at the time and was called a cry-baby for), I'd view his more recent statement as a "just ignore them and they might stop it" kinda thing.

Just last week I was singing Ponting's praises as one of the legends of the game, but now I think he's just a clown.

Reminds me of what Barmy was saying during the '05 ashes. (there's no point to this comment, I'm just reminiscing)

found this on a facebook group that one of my (Indian)friends joined today and thought it was hilarious:

1) Ricky Ponting (THE TRULY GENUINE CRICKETER OF THE CRICKET ERA AND WHOSE INTEGRITY SHOULD NOT BE DOUBTED) should be considered as the FOURTH UMPIRE. As per the new rules, FOURTH UMPIRE decision is final and will over ride any decisions taken by any other umpires. ON-FIELD umpires can seek the assistance of RICKY PONTING even if he is not on the field. This rule is to be made, so that every team should understand the importance of the FOURTH UMPIRE.

(2) While AUSTRALIAN TEAM is bowling, If the ball flies anywhere close to the AUSTRALIAN FIELDER(WITHIN 5 metre distance), the batsman is to be considered OUT irrelevant of whether the catch was taken cleanly or grassed. Any decision for further clarification should be seeked from the FOURTH UMPIRE. This is made to ensure that the cricket is played with SPORTIVE SPIRIT by all the teams.

(3) While BATTING, AUSTRALIAN players will wait for the ON-FIELD UMPIRE decisions only (even if the catch goes to the FIFTH SLIP as the ball might not have touched the bat). Each AUSTRALIAN batsman has to be out FOUR TIMES (minimum) before he can return to the pavilion. In case of THE CRICKETER WITH INTEGRITY, this can be higher.

(4) UMPIRES should consider a huge bonus if an AUSTRALIAN player scores a century. Any wrong decisions can be ignored as they will be paid huge bonus and will receive the backing of the AUSTRALIAN team and board.

(5) All AUSTRALIAN players are eligible to keep commenting about all players on the field and the OPPONENT TEAM should never comment as they will be spoiling the spirit of the AUSTRALIAN team. Any comments made in any other language are to be considered as RACIALISM only.

(6) MATCH REFREE decisions will be taken purely on the AUSTRALIAN TEAM advices only. Player views from the other teams decisions will not be considered for hearing. MATCH REFREES are to be given huge bonus if this rule is implemented.

(7) NO VISITING TEAM should plan to win in AUSTRALIA. This is to ensure that the sportive spirit of CRICKET is maintained.

(8) THE MOST IMPORTANT RULE: If any bowler gets RICKY PONTING - THE UNDISPUTED CRICKETER WITH INTEGTIRY IN THE GAME OF CRICKET more than twice in a series, he will be banned for the REST OF THE SERIES. This is to ensure that the best batsman/Captain will be played to break records and create history in the game of CRICKET.

These rules will clarify better to the all the teams VISITING AUSTRALIA.

[Barmy Army]

Bunch of miss nancy's. The lot of them need to grow some balls.

[Gnarfflinger]

Knowing absolutely nothing about Cricket, I don't get most of this thread, but I did catch the racial slur. In most sports in North America, that is a suspendable offense. The Austrailians may have a point on that one--even if it's only just to get the one Indian player out of a couple games...

[Stu]

Bunch of miss nancy's. The lot of them need to grow some balls.

Yeah, good call. I'm still placing greater blame on the Indian Cricket Board though :P, they should be held to a greater level of accountability than an individual and, I believe hurt the game a lot more - I mean threatening to cancel a series if they don't axe an umpire is ridiculous. The ICC needs some teeth.

[Harbourboy]

Those new rules are hilarious.