Malinga should play Test than chasing dollers says Flower

[silentstriker]

Well the anology was that you're doing something you believe in for the presitige and self satisfaction of it, not for the money. Surely you got that...

I get the money thing, and for an everyday job maybe that's true. But as was said earlier, you only get to play until you're 35, why not leave a legacy as long as you're still living very very well.

Because from 35-70, you still have a family you have to figure out how to feed. There are many cricketers (including Test cricketers) who are homeless and/or struggling to make ends meet after their retirement.

 

[benchmark00]

Professional international cricketers who are homeless after finishing their careers aren't homeless because they played test cricket, they're homeless because they made other poor lifestyle choices.

 

[silentstriker]

Professional international cricketers who are homeless after finishing their careers aren't homeless because they played test cricket, they're homeless because they made other poor lifestyle choices.

That may be true for the very extreme cases, but plenty more, while not homeless, are struggling to make ends meet. In any case, we just have a difference of opinion. If you wouldn't do it and risk a future like that, well that's fine and I'm sure others would also do the same.

For me personally, if I was getting paid as little as SL cricketers, and I had a chance at a big IPL contract, I'd quit international cricket that very same day.

 

[benchmark00]

Out of curiosity, how much do SL cricketers get paid? I know the board struggled to pay them for the WC so don't bring that up.

Also, what is the average wage of an average Sri Lankan resident?

 

[Daemon]

Well the anology was that you're doing something you believe in for the presitige and self satisfaction of it, not for the money. Surely you got that...

I get the money thing, and for an everyday job maybe that's true. But as was said earlier, you only get to play until you're 35, why not leave a legacy as long as you're still living very very well.

Realistically though, you can make a ****ton of money doing otherwise, without necessarily risking your test career.

For the hypothetical cricketer that has no injury issues, is capable of playing either Tests or T20s at the expense of the other and making enough money without the IPL, then I guess your point is valid. But there aren't a lot (if any) of such cricketers.

Most of them just reach a slight compromise which I'm sure majority of people would do.

 

[smash84]

awt part regarding SL cricketers being paid much much more compared to their compatriots. Very few people in SL would be seeing that kind of money as do the SL cricketers. Same applies to Pakistan as well.

 

[Flem274*]

The average wage of the average Sri Lankan is irrelevant. Of course it's bloody low, but are you saying because a player's countrymen struggle they should struggle as well rather than grasp a financial opportunity with both hands?

I can just imagine the conversation at the dinner table...

Wife: so how about that IPL contract?

Malinga: Turned it down babe

Wife: Why?

Malinga: Well you see, because I get paid more than my fellow countrymen, I thought I should stop complaining about what little we get, despite it being pathetic compared to wages given to Australian cricketers, and I'll carry on playin tests until I'm 35.

Wife: But you're injury prone, which may cost us more money after you retire, and our fellow countrymen get paid **** all, which means we will have to sell the kids if we end up on their wage.

Malinga: But on the plus side, I might get 200 test wickets if I don't get injured! So we can be poor and legends!

Wife: I want a divorce...

 

[SteveNZ]

Haha, perfect summary. Something to keep in mind next time someone decries someone for a lack of 'loyalty'. As if you should be loyal to a shirt with an emblem on it and a bunch of people you've never met over your family and yourself.

 

[benchmark00]

hOf course it's bloody low, but are you saying because a player's countrymen struggle they should struggle as well rather than grasp a financial opportunity with both hands?Of course it's bloody low, but are you saying because a player's countrymen struggle they should struggle as well rather than grasp a financial opportunity with both hands?

I can just imagine the conversation at the dinner table...

Wife: so how about that IPL contract?

Malinga: Turned it down babe

Wife: Why?

Malinga: Well you see, because I get paid more than my fellow countrymen, I thought I should stop complaining about what little we get, despite it being pathetic compared to wages given to Australian cricketers, and I'll carry on playin tests until I'm 35.

Wife: But you're injury prone, which may cost us more money after you retire, and our fellow countrymen get paid **** all, which means we will have to sell the kids if we end up on their wage.

Malinga: But on the plus side, I might get 200 test wickets if I don't get injured! So we can be poor and legends!

Wife: I want a divorce...

Ummm it's relevant because cost of living is lower in lower socio-economic regions. So you don't compare salaries from SL to salaries from Switzerland for example.

You can live more comfortable in SL with less money than you can in London for example.

 

[wellAlbidarned]

Some ***** on the internet thinking I'm a good ****

vs

Having a good amount of savings to fall back on for the hard times after retirement from cricket to support myself and my family

Tough decision.

 

[silentstriker]

Ummm it's relevant because cost of living is lower in lower socio-economic regions. So you don't compare salaries from SL to salaries from Switzerland for example.

You can live more comfortable in SL with less money than you can in London for example.

If you want to live without modern conveniences, sure. But buying a Toyota is still going to cost close to similar between London and SL. The fact that the majority of your countrymen can't afford a car, or can't pay for their kids expensive cancer treatment, doesn't mean you should give up opportunity to have and do those things....just because you want to hit a few more stumps with your ball while wearing a specific jersey? I would consider that very irresponsible of me if my family came from a poor background.

AFAIK Grade A is somewhere around 100k....all the way down to grade E, which is somewhere around 20k USD...that is, when they actually do get paid.

Good luck planning a retirement after only 7-10 years of that (esp for a fast bowler).

 

[Cevno]

Btw, didn't Andy Flower recently say in response to Dhoni "We don't pass Judgements/Make Comments on other players and teams" or something on those lines IIRC?

 

[Dan]

Btw, didn't Andy Flower recently say in response to Dhoni "We don't pass Judgements on other players and teams" or something on those lines IIRC?

If you read more than the first couple of lines you would notice Flower doesn't actually 'slam' Malinga at all - its more Flower saying that money is now the dominating factor, not representing your country and testing yourself.

 

[Cevno]

If you read more than the first couple of lines you would notice Flower doesn't actually 'slam' Malinga at all - its more Flower saying that money is now the dominating factor, not representing your country and testing yourself.

“I have seen some of the comments. As a principle we try to focus on our jobs and we refrain from making moral judgment about others”

That is pretty much a moral judgement.

How can he know for sure why Malinga quit tests in the first place in any case? Also not saying that he shouldn't say anything about Malinga or not, but he can't have it both ways.

 

[Howe_zat]

Pretty clear Flower's just a bit annoyed that it's come to this, rather than having a go at Malinga. He's correct.

 

[Redbacks]

Haha, perfect summary. Something to keep in mind next time someone decries someone for a lack of 'loyalty'. As if you should be loyal to a shirt with an emblem on it and a bunch of people you've never met over your family and yourself.

I suppose public parks/ovals, schools, acadamies, comps etc. provide no support whatsoever to a player.

I can understand other people being dissapointed with the decision given elite pathways exists to produce test players amongst other things.

 

[Redbacks]

Why do people do volunteer work?

Individual choice is key.

 

[keeper]

Here's Flowers comments without the prism of junk journalism...

ICC news: Andy Flower worried over future of Test cricket | Cricket News | England | ESPN Cricinfo

He probably shouldn't mention Malinga unless he knows he harbours a desire (and has the physical ability) to play test cricket. But the broader point still stands. If he is specifically attacking the SA and Aussie boards for this tour though, he needs to be specific about his own employers and the ludicrous scheduling of next summer (as Strauss already has done).

Overall, the more people speaking out about the damage administrators are doing to the game the better as far as I am concerned.

 

[Furball]

Here's Flowers comments without the prism of junk journalism...

ICC news: Andy Flower worried over future of Test cricket | Cricket News | England | ESPN Cricinfo

He probably shouldn't mention Malinga unless he knows he harbours a desire (and has the physical ability) to play test cricket. But the broader point still stands. If he is specifically attacking the SA and Aussie boards for this tour though, he needs to be specific about his own employers and the ludicrous scheduling of next summer (as Strauss already has done).

Overall, the more people speaking out about the damage administrators are doing to the game the better as far as I am concerned.

He's only mentioning Malinga as an example of someone who's given up Tests to play limited overs; he makes no judgement on Malinga's decision to do so other than to say that it's a shame a player like Malinga is lost to Test cricket.

 

[GotSpin]

Haha, perfect summary. Something to keep in mind next time someone decries someone for a lack of 'loyalty'. As if you should be loyal to a shirt with an emblem on it and a bunch of people you've never met over your family and yourself.

Yeah stuff the nation that gave you the ability to become a professional in the first place