Sledging or an excuse to get personal?

[silentstriker]

A bunch of immature idiots swearing like 14 year old boys. It's like a 12 year old kid yelling out of his car at a kid walking down the street, knowing that he's immune from any retaliation so he can say what he wants. And that's supposed to show how tough they are, or something. But people seem to think it means something, so whatever.

 

[Jono]

I am not a big fan of sledging but people need to realise that they don't do it to feel manly (for the most part) or to get personal. They do it because they think it is giving their team the best shot of winning.

Why did teams not sledge Lara much? Neither Sachin and Amla doesn't seem to get much. But why was Mitch going after Root? Because he thought as an inexperienced player he could get to him.

There's the odd occasion, such as Aussies getting at Jimmy, where its purely personal. But those are few and far between.

Its a method of trying to win a game of cricket. And it often works.

 

[mullarkey]

A bunch of immature idiots swearing like 14 year old boys. It's like a 12 year old kid yelling out of his car at a kid walking down the street, knowing that he's immune from any retaliation so he can say what he wants. And that's supposed to show how tough they are, or something. But people seem to think it means something, so whatever.

Quite right it's all very silly and cowardly. These tough guy sledgers are hiding behind the knowledge that no one (so far) has retaliated with violence and that it is therefore safe to do it. I can think of loads of pubs where even the most heroic sledgers wouldn't dare try it out on a group of lads stood at the end of the bar. This may not go down too well here but I wouldn't necessarily rue the day that a batsman whacks a close in sledger over the head with his bat. That will put a stop to it!

 

[JontyPanesar]

I don't understand why such a big deal is made out of sledging. No one makes a big deal out of sledging/trashtalk in any other sport (ok, maybe tennis and golf). But these are grown men. It's a little disappointing if they are so easily phased by mere words, regardless of how personal they might be.

Then again, I was born and raised in America, to Hurricane's original point.

 

[GuyFromLancs]

I don't have much of an issue with sledging.

But as an 'art' so to speak. it gives a platform to ***** like David Warner.

 

[Hurricane]

I don't understand why such a big deal is made out of sledging. No one makes a big deal out of sledging/trashtalk in any other sport (ok, maybe tennis and golf). But these are grown men. It's a little disappointing if they are so easily phased by mere words, regardless of how personal they might be.

Then again, I was born and raised in America, to Hurricane's original point.

I guess no one cares if you swear in the NHL or NFL or rugby or rugby league. If anything you are an idiot for sledging in those sports because you are just setting yourself up for a big hit or a big tackle against you so it is self regulating.
Sledging in cricket is more cowardly. Two batsman are out there and 11 guys are swearing away at them with very little way for the batsman to retaliate unless he scores a century which doesn't happen every day of the week.

I liked Bumble's comments when some sledging was happening during the Ashes. "This is a joke none of those blokes could fight there way out of a paper bag and they are out there cussing each other."

 

[uvelocity]

coming from david the rock lloyd hey

 

[Top_Cat]

What Clarke did was uttering threats under the legal definition of the term and he is lucky that the English team (just like they did with the Warner assault) did not press charges.

Please.

 

[ajdude]

i do it because i'm a **** and like to celebrate my very few successes in cricket. tbf i don't get to do it very often at all

 

[karan316]

Shehzad fined 50 percent of fee for pushing Dilshan - Yahoo Cricket India

Now this is something unacceptable.
Shehzad was fined just 50 percent of his match fee for pushing Dilshan and completely crossing the line. I don't get it, this is not a small issue and Shehzad deserves a ban for few matches. Ridiculous. ICC needs to wake up.

 

[karan316]

I don't understand why such a big deal is made out of sledging. No one makes a big deal out of sledging/trashtalk in any other sport (ok, maybe tennis and golf). But these are grown men. It's a little disappointing if they are so easily phased by mere words, regardless of how personal they might be.

Then again, I was born and raised in America, to Hurricane's original point.

M not sure how far it goes in sports like tennis or golf, have seen quite worse in football. But its good if we do not pick their negatives and follow them.

There is a reason why cricket is called a gentleman's game. And there is also a lot of emphasis put on the spirit of cricket, in some ways it defines cricket and separates it from a lot of other sports. I really wouldn't like to see a few rowdies fighting and screaming on each other and setting a poor example for the millions of people who follow them.

 

[karan316]

I guess no one cares if you swear in the NHL or NFL or rugby or rugby league. If anything you are an idiot for sledging in those sports because you are just setting yourself up for a big hit or a big tackle against you so it is self regulating.
Sledging in cricket is more cowardly. Two batsman are out there and 11 guys are swearing away at them with very little way for the batsman to retaliate unless he scores a century which doesn't happen every day of the week.

I liked Bumble's comments when some sledging was happening during the Ashes. "This is a joke none of those blokes could fight there way out of a paper bag and they are out there cussing each other."

Absolutely correct. It just reflects the poor temperament of individuals who have no control over themselves and can not take the pressure of the game.

 

[JontyPanesar]

I guess no one cares if you swear in the NHL or NFL or rugby or rugby league. If anything you are an idiot for sledging in those sports because you are just setting yourself up for a big hit or a big tackle against you so it is self regulating.
Sledging in cricket is more cowardly. Two batsman are out there and 11 guys are swearing away at them with very little way for the batsman to retaliate unless he scores a century which doesn't happen every day of the week.

I liked Bumble's comments when some sledging was happening during the Ashes. "This is a joke none of those blokes could fight there way out of a paper bag and they are out there cussing each other."

I was really thinking about basketball, a contact sport but hardly bruising the way the NHL or the NFL is. Trashtalk is common, but no one really complains. I'm really not so big into describing sledging as either a test of mental toughness or a sign of cowardice. It simply shouldn't be a big deal. Who cares whatever marble-mouthed Warner has to say. It shouldn't affect you.

 

[JontyPanesar]

M not sure how far it goes in sports like tennis or golf, have seen quite worse in football. But its good if we do not pick their negatives and follow them.

There is a reason why cricket is called a gentleman's game. And there is also a lot of emphasis put on the spirit of cricket, in some ways it defines cricket and separates it from a lot of other sports. I really wouldn't like to see a few rowdies fighting and screaming on each other and setting a poor example for the millions of people who follow them.

I don't think manners and propriety is what makes cricket a great sport/game. If anything, I think the sense of propriety is used as a tool for social exclusion (notice how most cricketers, though particularly batsman, come from a certain income background). I'd be more focused on trying to make cricket more inclusive, rather than exclusive. To have batsmen be so sensitive to verbal barbs does not reflect well on cricket as viewed from the eyes of the greater public. They expect some basic level of mental toughness from their sportsmen, and as they should. Ultimately, words only have the power you give them.

 

[Hurricane]

I was really thinking about basketball, a contact sport but hardly bruising the way the NHL or the NFL is. Trashtalk is common, but no one really complains. I'm really not so big into describing sledging as either a test of mental toughness or a sign of cowardice. It simply shouldn't be a big deal. Who cares whatever marble-mouthed Warner has to say. It shouldn't affect you.

Well the Aussies would agree with you. I really think it is water off a duck's back to them as they grew up with it.

The one thought I will leave you with is that Basketball is a more physical game than Cricket. And you can respond immediately to a taunt about your mother being of loose virtue by blowing past someone or rejecting a dunk etc. The trash talk probably would probably help my performance in that context.

Anyway - I am not going to give you a long response as primarily it is the 24th of December and I would just have to put myself in the mindset of being on the receiving end of some of those comments and swear words which isn't the head space I want atm.

May respond in a few days.

Cheers and Merry Christmas Jonty

 

[wellAlbidarned]

I don't think manners and propriety is what makes cricket a great sport/game. If anything, I think the sense of propriety is used as a tool for social exclusion (notice how most cricketers, though particularly batsman, come from a certain income background). I'd be more focused on trying to make cricket more inclusive, rather than exclusive. To have batsmen be so sensitive to verbal barbs does not reflect well on cricket as viewed from the eyes of the greater public. They expect some basic level of mental toughness from their sportsmen, and as they should. Ultimately, words only have the power you give them.

You can think sledging is cowardly and pathetic without letting it affect your game.

 

[uvelocity]

You can think sledging is cowardly and pathetic without letting it affect your game.

your primary female caregiver is a loose individual, ****

 

[wpdavid]

I guess no one cares if you swear in the NHL or NFL or rugby or rugby league. If anything you are an idiot for sledging in those sports because you are just setting yourself up for a big hit or a big tackle against you so it is self regulating.
Sledging in cricket is more cowardly. Two batsman are out there and 11 guys are swearing away at them with very little way for the batsman to retaliate unless he scores a century which doesn't happen every day of the week.

Well, quite. But I've long since recognised that I'm in a very small minority regarding this sort of thing, so meh. Typical comment the other week buy a CWer who is usually one of the most intelligent and articulate contributors to these boards was that 'at least it shows that they care'. If that really is what people think, then there isn't going to be a lot of common ground between them & me, so I tend to stay out of it. fwiw I'd like to see batsmen allowed to use their bats to retaliate in a way that Duncan Fearnley never envisaged, As you say, it's 2 against 11, so let's even things up.

 

[silentstriker]

Fights ala Ice Hockey. Would think twice about boasting about broken arms if they actually have to face the prospect of getting one.

 

[salman85]

Sledging is here to stay.Like it,or hate it.Sports evolve and the same thing applies to Cricket.It's not a gentlemen's game anymore.Plus,the game has seen far uglier incidents than Sledging.I know it's all romantic n all to still picture Cricket as the gentleman's game,but that's not the case anymore.Things are far more competitive on the pitch than ever before with more money,larger audiences,more at stake etc.Players are going to express themselves via means other than the bat and ball, and the fact that they choose to do so via verbal banter is fine.The good part is that Cricket unlike some other sports,has not become physically violent.

Nothing wrong with the verbal 'violence' IMO.If starts on the pitch, and ends there.End of.