Spirit of Cricket

[Matt79]

What do people see as the biggest blights on the game in terms of the spirit in which they'd LIKE it to be played in - which you would wish away if you could?

My list would go something like:
MAJOR ISSUES
- abusive and discriminatory (racist or otherwise) sledging (both from crowd and in particular players)
- the spectre of match-fixing (no specific examples right now, but the genie is out of the bottle and we're all going to have to be suspicious)
- too many meaningless ODIs - a 'spirit' issue because it devalues representing your country - eg do Mick Lewis's 15-20 odd "national" caps mean as much as a player from the 70s or 80s?

MINOR ANNOYANCES
- teams using a specialist fielder as the 12th man/sub and that player spending too long on the ground (not a partisan Aussie whinge, it would annoy me if Andrew Symonds were always 12th man for Australia),
- abnormal pitches being prepared to suit the home side's bowlers. I have no problem with seemers in England or turners in India - I dislike people urging the preparation of turners in Australia to blunt South Africa or alternatively, green tops in south africa to blunt warne,
- teams not sharing a beer or cup of tea after the match because they don't want to compromise their 'psychology' regarding their opposition - why are you playing the game people?

There are probably lots more, but I don't want to rant.

 

[silentstriker]

The spirit of cricket is an antiquated concept. You play to win, and to hell with the opposition. Very few other sports still hold to a concept as outdated and useless as 'spirit' of the game. If its not explicitly illegal in the laws, then it's legal. I would have less of a problem with it, if it wasn't a complete farce anyway.

- abusive and discriminatory (racist or otherwise) sledging (both from crowd and in particular players)

Why? Home advantage is a huge thing, you have to make the best of it. I have problems with remarks regarding race or religion as those are slippery slopes and can lead to hostility not only between the players, but outside of that as well. But calling the batsman's mother a stinking whore? That's all fine, if it gives you an advantage.

- the spectre of match-fixing (no specific examples right now, but the genie is out of the bottle and we're all going to have to be suspicious)

I'm not sure what this has to do with 'spirit', as its explicitly illegal in all sports.

- too many meaningless ODIs - a 'spirit' issue because it devalues representing your country - eg do Mick Lewis's 15-20 odd "national" caps mean as much as a player from the 70s or 80s?

That's really the fault of you and I. If we keep watching, they'll keep playing.

- teams using a specialist fielder as the 12th man/sub and that player spending too long on the ground (not a partisan Aussie whinge, it would annoy me if Andrew Symonds were always 12th man for Australia),

Either outlaw it, or make stricter regulations for it. I have no problems with teams maximizing their advantages within the rules.

- abnormal pitches being prepared to suit the home side's bowlers. I have no problem with seemers in England or turners in India - I dislike people urging the preparation of turners in Australia to blunt South Africa or alternatively, green tops in south africa to blunt warne,

Why? Its YOUR pitch, you prepare it in a way that will give YOU an advantage. It would be absolutely ludicrous to prepare a pitch that suits fast bowlers if you are playing England, regardless of what you usually do at your home (unless of course, your bowling attack was similar). If you don't like this, then pass a law mandating how every pitch should be prepared.

- teams not sharing a beer or cup of tea after the match because they don't want to compromise their 'psychology' regarding their opposition - why are you playing the game people?

Frankly, I hate when they share beer after the game. I want the players to HATE each other. I want it to show during play. An extra bouncer to the throat? That's where cricket is most fun.

 

[pasag]

Yeah, I agree somewhat with silentstriker. Its a multi million dollar sport and its highly professional. Bringing in the spirit of cricket and friendliness into it is all abit too amateur. Although I think the game is progressing at its natural evolution and things should be allowed to run its course without much interferance.

And get rid of the after match beer. It is slightly creepy.

 

[Jungle Jumbo]

Frankly, I hate when they share beer after the game. I want the players to HATE each other. I want it to show during play. An extra bouncer to the throat? That's where cricket is most fun.

Why? Surely there must be some element of fun and sportsmanship in the game? Sure, a bit of aggression is fine but it should not be carried on off the field. Attitudes like that are the sort of reasons why wars happen - mindless, blind hatred.

 

[Majin]

While I agree that if it is abused, and the 12th man is on the field for too long with no good reason then it is against the spirit, I don't agree with not having a specialist fielder for the job. That's why he's there, to cover in the field. No one is going to want to take Monty Panesar as a 12th man just to fit in with the spirit of the game. If you have to use a sub, make it a good one. It's better for the game.

 

[open365]

Yeah, I agree somewhat with silentstriker. Its a multi million dollar sport and its highly professional. Bringing in the spirit of cricket and friendliness into it is all abit too amateur. Although I think the game is progressing at its natural evolution and things should be allowed to run its course without much interferance.

And get rid of the after match beer. It is slightly creepy.

I dis-agree, even though professional cricket is a multi million $ buisiness(i cant find the pound sign) it's main job is to set an example to the millions of lower level cricketers below it, it should be the benchmark by which we all follow and aspire too. Cricket needs to preserve it's identity,not destroy it to be more 'professional'.

 

[albo97056]

One of the reasons i like the game is the sportsmanship even at the highest level, theres no other sport like it, and i hope it doesnt sink to the level of football.

 

[adharcric]

Attitudes like that are the sort of reasons why wars happen - mindless, blind hatred.

Please tell me Australian sledging will NOT be the cause of WWIII.

 

[silentstriker]

One of the reasons i like the game is the sportsmanship even at the highest level, theres no other sport like it, and i hope it doesnt sink to the level of football.

What sportsmanship? The stuff thats said in the middle shatters any notion of this being a 'gentleman's game'.

 

[Jungle Jumbo]

Please tell me Australian sledging will NOT be the cause of WWIII.

No, what I'm saying is that on the field a bit of aggro is fine, but if you come out of a game and continue the aggro off the field, you will end up in disputes which tarnish the reputation of the game. Finding a balance between sportsmanship and gamesmanship is difficult, like the balance of entertainment and the result.

 

[albo97056]

What sportsmanship? The stuff thats said in the middle shatters any notion of this being a 'gentleman's game'.

Its nothing compared to other sports. In all my time playing ive bonly had abuse I consider to be unsportsmanlike on one or two occasions by the odd idiot. And pros barely put a foot wrong in this regard. Theres the odd bit of verbal banter, but everyone knows its just a laugh and its not meant to be serious.

 

[archie mac]

I love cricket because of the tradition, in how many other sports do the opposition clap the opposing captain when he comes to the wicket?

I hate the idea of cricket becoming like other sports. I was once voted the most sledged player, because of my Boycott opening batting tactics (they seem to annoy the opposition) but I never had a problem of shaking the 'enemies' hand at the end of a game or having a beer with the foe.

Back on topic; the thing that annoys me the most is time wasting

Others are:

Flat tracks
Back to back Tests
20/20 matches
Throwing

 

[silentstriker]

I love cricket because of the tradition, in how many other sports do the opposition clap the opposing captain when he comes to the wicket?

The question is: Why would you want that tradition? Its a farce anyway, because as soon as he starts batting, there will be shouts of 'kill him...kill him' and you're hoping your side knocks him out for a duck anyway.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Cricket - the only sport where you can go out there, give the opposition some stick, go back in and laugh about it all at the tea break, go out and do it again!

That pretty much encapsulates cricket for me, you head out there and try and rip some heads off, but afterwards you do share a drink.

 

[archie mac]

The question is: Why would you want that tradition? Its a farce anyway, because as soon as he starts batting, there will be shouts of 'kill him...kill him' and you're hoping your side knocks him out for a duck anyway.

Because it is the tradition that makes cricket the game it is

 

[C_C]

I want the players to HATE each other.

Lets bring in the lions and re-enact the barbarity of the Romans.
its just a freaking game..and you wanna promote hatred and what not all for the purpose of making a sport of whacking a ball with a stick more fun ?
talk about missing the big picture!

 

[alternative]

I have to agree with Archie, we have a great tradition like no other sports have..We win or lose, share a beer with the arch rivals, that's what make it that a bit more special and shows that its a gentleman's game.. all the sportsman ship is shown..

We want to see a battle/sledging in the ground, not outside when friendship is the most valued element..

 

[Matt79]

You want players to have respect for each other and some manners because after the stupid game on the scoreboard is over, you, or they as human beings will have hopefully got something worthwhile out of the game. I guarantee you talk to any elderly former sportsman and, if he's not a total tool, the fondest memories he'll have of his sport are the fun and the friendships - not how many wickets he took, not how many games he won, nor how big the sponsor's cheque was. There are finer things in life than winning a game or earning money - cricket is, for lots of people, still a way to enjoy lots of those things.

For me the spirit in which you see the game played has become a big issue since I've had my son. I don't want to explain to him why McGrath is asking chandrapaul about lara's ****, or why warne is screaming abuse at hudson. The first time I hear him saying he hates his opponents will be when his bat is taken off him for a while.

 

[Craig]

Players not turning around to appeal when they think a batsman is out (unless it was blatanly obvious he/she was out).

I remember McGrath got an LBW in his favour in Adelaide in the last Ashes (Butcher I believe) where he didn't turn around to appeal - just continued on down the wicket assuming it was out, it would have been funny had Butcher been given not-out. Plain arrogrance, a bowler could at least just turn his back a fraction or do physio's not want them to do it?

Negative bowling - trying to fustrate a batsman is a sign you don't know how to get him out and too bland to look for any weakness' to try and get them out. Keep picking the right balls and just start blasting them into the stands, the captain will get it through his head that is not a wise idea.

Captains who are late for the toss, if you want to do your hair and apply your make-up for the camera's, do it before you leave the hotel.

 

[Matt79]

But calling the batsman's mother a stinking whore? That's all fine, if it gives you an advantage.

So if I insulted your mother in those words, that's ok because we're arguing about an issue and I want an advantage? Abuse generally signifies you actually can't think of anything that's either insightful or humourous to say.

I'm not sure what this has to do with 'spirit', as its explicitly illegal in all sports.

It might be illegal but that hasn't stopped it happening. If people involved in cricket were more motivated by their love of the game and less by money, it wouldn't happen.

That's really the fault of you and I. If we keep watching, they'll keep playing.

I've stopped watching. I'll watch ODIs if there's nothing better on TV, but unless its the World Cup, I stopped caring about ODIs a long time ago.

Why? Its YOUR pitch, you prepare it in a way that will give YOU an advantage. It would be absolutely ludicrous to prepare a pitch that suits fast bowlers if you are playing England, regardless of what you usually do at your home (unless of course, your bowling attack was similar). If you don't like this, then pass a law mandating how every pitch should be prepared.

It's pitches that are prepared out of the normal character for a ground that annoy me. In the Australian example, I have no problem with the SCG taking spin, or the WACA being fast or bouncy, or the Gabba being a bit green. What i don't like is the WACA pitch we got this year. It might not suit the home team's chances of winning, but I want to see a fair contest, and what's more, if the opposition have a strength, like England's pace attack, I want to see it perform well so I'm seeing the best standard of cricket possible, not see them struggle on pitches deliberately designed to blunt their effectiveness. Winning matches under those circumstances diminishes the satisfaction.