 Missy's Mail 19
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What an ugly and ridiculous saga world cricket currently finds itself entwined. The Indian Cricket team and its officials amaze me. I of course refer to the falling out of what was the remarkable 2nd Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test Match at the SCG, the first of 2008. One of the best matches Test cricket, particularly in Australia, has produced in many summers.
More of the same would see ticket sales match that of last year's disappointing and disastrous Ashes series. However this match will not be remembered for Symonds second Test hundred, nor Hayden’s 28th, nor Tendulkar’s 38th. Heck, I bet even Michael Clarke’s 3 wickets in 5 balls will be skipped when people discuss this match. This match will be retold for all the wrong reasons, and given the state of the game itself, in between Australia’s strangle hold on world cricket and dwindling Test Match ticket sales, I’m not sure if any publicity is good publicity. But hey, if Britney Spears still has a career, perhaps my opinion is off base.
In what appeared to be a set-up and carefully rehearsed post match press conference Indian captain, Anil Kumble, said dejectedly - to appreciative applause from the Indian media, “Only one team out there was playing in the spirit of the game. That‘s all I can say”.
Well hold the phone there Anil! It obviously slipped the champion leg spinners mind that his star off-spinner and renowned competitor, Harbhajan Singh, had been reported for racial abuse and hours later would be found guilty and suspended for 3 matches. Not to mention, Yuvraj Singh had also been found charged for dissent in the 1st Test match just a few days prior.
Racism in any sport is a disgusting thing. It is petty and weak. Cricket is as much a mind game at the top level as it is a skilled game. Australian players have been found guilty in the past, and quite frankly not enough has been done to prevent it from happening further, no matter how innocent or accidental. Nobody should ever be vilified on the cricket field for race, religion or creed. Andrew Symonds has played it down remarkably well considering what happened in India in October, all things considered.
So what exactly constitutes “The spirit of the game”? To me ‘spirit of the game’ is a complete throw away term nowadays. Especially in international cricket where livelihoods, careers and futures are based on a few moments. You can expect it in grade cricket or perhaps even at state level, but international cricket is as much a business as it is a game.
Kumble went on to say that “a draw would have been a fair result”. This may be true, as both teams were closely matched throughout the 5 days and it was difficult to pick a winner in any session, but not a single player or spectator alike would have wanted that game to end in a draw. It deserved better than that, and it got what it deserved. A grandstand finish. Whether Australia or India won that game, cricket needed a result and the Gods provided.
It cannot be denied that the Indians received many dubious and poor decisions in the match, however this is of their own doing. They have finally fallen on their own sword. We’ve all seen the teams, particularly teams from the sub-continent over appeal and carry on like school girls at a movie premier. The screaming, the shouting, the over appealing. It at times resembles 11 decapitated chickens in a cage. Umpires are aware of it, and know to look for it.
Steve Bucknor has been around long enough to witness it first hand on every continent and while Mark Benson has only 20 or so games under his belt, he would be well aware of the tactics the Indians have used in the past.
So we return to the post match press conference where Ricky Ponting, a proud and noticeably glowing captain sits and waits for questions to be asked by the press. The Indian media are waiting for Ponting to make a mistake, they’re sweating on him to have a go at the Indians. He refrains, praising both teams for the competitive nature of the fixture highlighted by superb individual performances. The Indian press have had enough, and draw Ricky out by all but labeling him a cheat. A member of the press quizzes the Australian captain about a catch he claimed and whether he thought he grounded the ball, then appealed. Ponting is clearly surprised by the question and says “There is no way I grounded that ball, and if you’re actually questioning my integrity in the game, you shouldn’t be standing here”.
It’s a completely ridiculous question for anyone who has seen the footage. However, the rehearsed press conference has worked… sort of. It looks like Ricky has blown up at the media, and The Indian press are now banned from asking the Australian players questions. Objective achieved. You can imagine the headlines on the Mumbai Times.
I’ve long been an admirer of the way cricket is regarded in India. If the rest of the Test playing nations supported the game like it is there, cricket would be in a far better state. However, with the good comes the bad, and all I see from the fallout of this Test is burning effigies on the streets of Calcutta. This is the bad. I don’t think Mr. Bucknor will be making a trip there any time soon. Nor Mr. Benson. Even Cricket Australia Chief Executive, James Sutherland got a run.
The worst of the worst from it all is the childish nature of the Indian Cricket Board who have threatened to suspend the tour of Australia pending Singh’s appeal. Why? Surely the ICC can’t turn around the decision to suspend Singh for 3 matches. This would be condoning racism in the game. So is the ICC green lighting racism in the game? It was poor enough that they did nothing about the racist chants from Indian supporters directed towards Andrew Symonds in October, claiming “nothing happened” - by far the worst attempted cover up of all time. Lazy and pathetic are better words to describe the attitude taken. I bet even the Indian players are red faced.
A simple message for Indian cricket officials on behalf of world cricket. Sharpen up your act, international cricket looks up to you, but most of all needs you.
Missy | 
