Are you watching referee?

[Lillian Thomson]

It would be interesting to look back at some of the most notorious incidents before the advent of Match Referees and try to imagine what punishment they would invoke today.

A few examples;
Colin Croft's physical assault on the umpire in New Zealand.
Michael Holding booting the stumps out of the ground when an appeal was rejected on the same tour.
The infamous Mike Gatting/Shakor Rana exchange.
The Chris Broad refusal to walk on the same tour.
John Snow shoving Sunil Gavaskar to the ground in England in 1971.

On the subject of referees I think some of the people appointed as referees are not suitable based on their own behaviour as players.
Chris Broad for example, as well as his behaviour in Pakistan he also marred the Bi-Centenary Test on the Australian leg of the tour by clobbering his stumps with the bat when he was clean bowled having made a century.
Clive Lloyd not only presided over the New Zealand tour he also showed great dissent in the 1975 World Cup Match against Pakistan when given out and when the West Indies won the match by one wicket after an unlikely last wicket stand he rushed on to the balcony and screamed "That will teach you, you cheats" at the Pakistanis.

If I was a player today I would be less than thrilled to be given a six match ban or hefty fine by either of these characters for the fairly trivial "crime" of a slow overrate.

[shaka]

i think if you are given out to a ball pitched way outside legstump and given out, the batsman should have some leniency on reactions, but obviously not take it too far.

[Slow Love™]

Originally Posted by Lillian Thomson

Michael Holding booting the stumps out of the ground when an appeal was rejected on the same tour.

I wish I could remember all the details, but Holding got beautifully suckered in on Ch9 in Australia a couple of years ago, when he was commenting on the inappropriateness of a bowler's reaction after an appeal was rejected.

I think it was Ian Chappell that said "you wouldn't do anything like that, would you Mikey?". Holding started to stutter, and then on the screen came the image of Holding's leg so high he could have been doing the can-can, right after he'd kicked the stumps into the heavens. Holding couldn't stop laughing, it was a great setup.

Clive Lloyd not only presided over the New Zealand tour he also showed great dissent in the 1975 World Cup Match against Pakistan when given out and when the West Indies won the match by one wicket after an unlikely last wicket stand he rushed on to the balcony and screamed "That will teach you, you cheats" at the Pakistanis.

I'd never heard of this incident. Lloyd certainly seems to be the *****liest of the current refs though.

[chalky]

You forgot Lillee & Miandad

[FaaipDeOiad]

What about Waugh and Ambrose in 95? Was there a match referree at that time?

Lillee & Miandad I believe, despite the lack of referees at the time, was dealt with fairly harshly and Miandad got a fine and I believe Lillee missed a couple of one dayers?

[howardj]

Originally Posted by FaaipDeOiad

What about Waugh and Ambrose in 95? Was there a match referree at that time?

Richardson made that look worse than it was, by dragging Curtly away.

[FaaipDeOiad]

Originally Posted by howardj

Richardson made that look worse than it was, by dragging Curtly away.

It was still a clear instance of a general physical threat being made on the batsman though. Curtley didn't hit him or anything, but if you can imaging someone doing that in the current series, the uproar would be tremendous.

[BoyBrumby]

I do wonder if Holding, Walsh & co are affording themselves a few knowing smiles just now at the hypocrisy of some of the English cricket press & commentators.

When Holding peppered a 45 year old Brian Close & Walsh bounced Deadly Dev Malcolm repeatedly there was a lot of pooh-poohing about it being intimidatory & just not cricket. Now we have a quartet (well ok, trio, no offence Hoggy!) of quicks who can tickle a few batters' ribcages we all sit back & say what tremendously hostile stuff it is. I don't think Tait is quite a Devon Malcolm, but he def looks a genuine no. 11. Fred & Harmy have already given him a few short ones....

Just food for thought.

[Slow Love™]

Originally Posted by howardj

Richardson made that look worse than it was, by dragging Curtly away.

It would have looked better if he hadn't?

McGrath probably wasn't actually going to rip Sarwan's throat out either, but that kind of thing is really something you don't want to see.

[luckyeddie]

Originally Posted by BoyBrumby

I do wonder if Holding, Walsh & co are affording themselves a few knowing smiles just now at the hypocrisy of some of the English cricket press & commentators.

When Holding peppered a 45 year old Brian Close & Walsh bounced Deadly Dev Malcolm repeatedly there was a lot of pooh-poohing about it being intimidatory & just not cricket. Now we have a quartet (well ok, trio, no offence Hoggy!) of quicks who can tickle a few batters' ribcages we all sit back & say what tremendously hostile stuff it is. I don't think Tait is quite a Devon Malcolm, but he def looks a genuine no. 11. Fred & Harmy have already given him a few short ones....

Just food for thought.

It's only just not cricket when it's done to us by some dastardly Johnny Foreigner. When it's done towards an Aussie, it's just letting him know you're there

(Walsh gave Dev 4 on the trot and hit him with 3 - even the crowd were booing - well, a bit)

[Slats4ever]

Originally Posted by Lillian Thomson

A few examples;
Colin Croft's physical assault on the umpire in New Zealand.
Michael Holding booting the stumps out of the ground when an appeal was rejected on the same tour.
The infamous Mike Gatting/Shakor Rana exchange.
The Chris Broad refusal to walk on the same tour.
John Snow shoving Sunil Gavaskar to the ground in England in 1971.

To be honest I wish this sorta stuff still happened. It adds to the spice of cricket.

One of the reasons I like playing cricket so much is having fights with the other team.