Over the past decade there have been many controversial incidents involving 'sledging' by test teams and while calls have been widespread in condemnation, little progress has been made in eradicating one of the cancers in modern cricket. Fining highly paid players small sums of money will have no real impact and until the ICC takes more punitive action it is unlikely it will ever be brought under control at the highest level.
Unfortunately when the stakes are high almost anything goes in getting a batsman out. The recent Australia versus India series was the latest in a long list of confrontational encounters that threaten the integrity of cricket and have such a damaging effect down the line to grass-roots level. The irony in this series was the fact that Australia did most of the complaining! Can you believe this from the arrogant Aussies who have long been the leading exponents of this ugly form of gamesmanship? But in truth the Aussies haven't invented 'sledging,' they have just become the best at it!
We all hear the game has changed but apart from money at the highest level has anything really changed to the extent that you have to cheat to get an opponent out? In 1949 New Zealand captain Walter Hadlee recalled England opening batsman Cyril Washbrook because he felt he had been given unfairly out. Can you imagine the furore such a glowing exhibition of sportsmanship would cause in the modern game?
Verbals have always been an integral part of cricket but everyone knows when the line has been crossed and the difference between 'sledging' and good-natured banter. The problem is just as prevalent at local level as at the top level because much of what happens in test cricket is copied. That includes the good, the bad, and the ugly, as both the good things and the bad things filter down the system and umpire challenges, orchestrated appealing and tantrums are now almost accepted as integral parts of the game.
But why should they be accepted and surely we can set our own standards from grass-roots level and have zero tolerance for 'sledging' and its associated running mates?
Just where the responsibility lies is not difficult to determine. It starts with the player himself and what decent player has to resort to these tactics to get someone out? The captain has always been deemed to have responsibility for his team's behaviour so when a player oversteps the mark he should act immediately. Then we have the umpires, and some are better than others in dealing with controversy. Finally we have the union and then we have the clubs. When incidents are brought to union level they should be strongly dealt with, but even before it reaches that stage a well-run club should take the appropriate action when things have gotten out of hand.
Last year the NCU acted strongly against Instonians and disciplined three players after being reported following a match with North Down. They included abrasive professional Regan West and their genial captain John Stevenson. Without going into the rights and the wrongs of this sordid affair, suffice to say that some of the more competitive overseas players have often been at the forefront of the verbals and perhaps the time has come to rein them in.
Certainly the game is bigger than any individual and good behaviour is a fundamental part of its character. Why should they be allowed to change it? Time for local cricket to set the example and adopt a zero tolerance policy for 'sledging' and gamesmanship, two nice words for cheating.
Clarence Hiles
Editor
