Thursday, January 17, 2008

Cricket Madness

So after the Sydney test match people like John Bertrand and the Australian Legends Committee or Hall of Fame committee or some rubbish demanded that the Aussie cricketers tone down their antics and play in the right spirit of the game...This was a reaction to what? An umpire paying a catch when an Indian player didnt hit the ball? Clarke "maybe not" catching a ball that no camera angle caught? Nevermind that both captains said before the game they would be honest, and now Kumble and his mates aren't accepting Clarke saying he caught the ball...
I could be wrong, but is it not up to the umpires to make the decisions? Or are they paid to stand and just watch? Do we hold footballers as accountable? Let's say Darren Glass puts his hand in Barry Hall's back, does he go straight to the umpire and demand he is awarded a free kick against? Is he condemned in the press for not standing on the mark immediately, before a decision has been made? Bottom line is, umpires are paid to make decisions. Players are paid to win. That's an important sentence.
All this talk that sport isn't war and the Aussies should calm down is ridiculous. They are paid, and paid well, to win. I don't think any of them get bonuses for being liked by opponents. And its funny that now they are playing sport down like "its just a game, its not war" yet anytime a player is dropped or sacked or traded (in other codes of sport) the old cliche comes out "sport is a business these days". Which is it, a game or a business?
For decades we have loved to see our sports teams achieve greatness on a global scale, and the Aussie cricket team has dominated its competition for 20 years, and now, on the eve of breaking the record for the most test match wins in a row, we condemn them for being too aggressive? For trying too hard?