I am of the humble belief that you have taken the wrong end of the stick on this one. Though Craddock may have not chosen his words well, I believe his point (with which I agree) is as follows:
(a) the BCCI doesn't agree with the guilty finding (as is their right) (b) presumably Proctor has something concrete to go on in making such a finding "beyond a reasonable doubt" (c) if the BCCI/Indians have something definitive to contradict this, come out publicly with it; (d) it is the BCCI's right to appeal; BUT (e) IT IS NOT within the SPIRIT OF THE GAME to tell your team to sit in Sydney whilst awaiting the outcome of the appeal. This is an unequivocally veiled threat to the ICC's power.
If Craddock has a problem with the BCCI even appealing, then on this point I vehemently disagree.
The right thing to do was for the BCCI to say "we think the umpiring has been abysmal and are not happy, but in the interests of the world game, we will continue with the series, but are undoubtedly appealing Proctor's decision which we belive has no merit and no foundation".
The analogy I would draw is the young boy in the Kerala backwaters who is the only person with a bat and ball in his village - gets given out unfairly and says to the others "if you don't let me back in, I'm taking my bat and ball away". Yes, this is far more serious, but no-one in their right mind can say the hearing was without basic merit given the admission Harbhajan said it before.
RE:What is the BCCI thinking?
by Subbu on Jan 08, 2008 07:20 PM Permalink
Mr.On (is that your name?) I think we are all the same under the skin, aren't we? Human nature is human nature. Except, I am now convinced, for the Aussies, who will take it on the chin like real men unlike the rest of the world. Yes, all your shouting regarding BCCI's reaction is well taken, but tell me what CA would do if the following situation arises: Bret Lee has been taking a heap of wickets, and in the course of one (or more) of his wicket-taking sprees, he insults not only a well-known batsman's abilities, but his father, wife and grandfather as well. Captain of batsman's team reports abuse to Match Referee. Match Referee (in amoment of sheer insanity) decides enough is enough and bans Lee for the rest of the series. What do you think will happen? I am convinced that CA would simply say "Oh bad luck, mate, let's get on with the game, we really deserved this." Why? Because Australians will take it on the chin and move on. It is ingrained in their blood. Your letter is evidence enough of the largeness of heart that Australians exhibit. This is what sets them apart. They play hard, but fair. They abuse well and with considerable verbal dexterity on the field, but it is all in good fun. "Come have a beer with us, you son of a warthog", they say, with hearty humour. You have convinced me. Give me a stubbie, mate.
RE:What is the BCCI thinking?
by on Jan 08, 2008 07:30 PM Permalink
Jeremy the doctor not Michael the lawyer.
Two things: first, please can we not generalise the actions of cricket teams to entire populations, that sort of thing is how wars get started.
Secodnly, we are agreeing with the right to appeal and defend the player. We just think that it is unhelpful to threaten to go home before the appeal has even been heard! If this match taught us anything it is that people with good intentions make mistakes (even, exceptionally rarely, doctors) even, potnetially, Mike Procter! So lets get it sorted out without high-mindedness and threats.
RE:RE:What is the BCCI thinking?
by Cameron Richardson on Jan 09, 2008 02:25 PM Permalink
Subbu: Goodonya mate. At last some humour in all this. Why too much energy & emotion is being spent on this topic. It's all being taken way too far, & way too seriously by so many. How many blog sites I've read today (Australian & Indian), with both sides equally incensed & enraged. For awhile there, so was I. The more you read, the more realise how silly it's becoming. We are talking about two of the biggest homelands & bastions of the game, where cricket is a deep passion for both nations. The game suffers for this seemingly endless & at the end of the day, mindless volley of tirades. Indian's are pissed off. Australian's are pissed off. Where are going with it all? It's a game played by humans, adjudicated by humans. Shit happens, & it did for India in Sydney. However, the bad goes with the good too (i.e. like the draw at Lords last year, when Sreesanth should've been out LBW at the end of the day in the fading light & Bucknor said "not out"). Remember we all love cricket, that's what we are squabbling about. Meanwhile our game suffers & no one gets any closer to the end of this piece string. I, for one, am completely over all this who's right & who's wrong business. Blame, blame, blame. Let there be more humour like Subbu's from both sides & lets hope for excellent sporting cricket in Perth.
RE:What is the BCCI thinking?
by ashish sharma on Jan 08, 2008 07:07 PM Permalink
Hi my nameless friend (or are u too scared to write your name?)
You say that Mr Proctor must have found something concrete to convict Harbhajan of that offence. But I have a small query.
When Ricky and Gilly "backed" their mate, but said that they didnt hear anything, then what was the value of their testimony in a fact finding enquiry?
And if one person, who has one of the longest of carrers in the world, and that too without any controvercies, says that he didnt hear anything of that sort, then why was his word taken over someone who is always covered in some controvercy or the other.
Here I would like to clear one thing, that I have no objections to Ricky or Symonds or Clark not walking or appealing for a catch which "others" thought they dropped. My objection is that if player of one team is called for showing dissent, then in the same series, when a player of the opposite team appeals for a catch, which was nowhere near the bat AND which he also grassed, reacts as if something obvious has not happened, and he still goes scot free.
So before you say anything else about Indian cricket team, check the facts about the officiating in tha games involving Australia.
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RE:What is the BCCI thinking?
by on Jan 08, 2008 07:20 PM Permalink
Apologies, new to this site so my name doesn't appear to show. My name is MIchael, yes, I'm an Australian born indian of mallu heritage who is a lawyer.
I agree with Adnan - the umpiring was completely unprofessional, utterly incompetent and wrecked the game. BUT that's my point - unlike hundreds of posters on this page suggesting the match should be cancelled/awarded to India/etc, it wasn't a conspiracy against India, just sheer incompetence.
Ashish - I must admit I'm erring on the optimistic side of caution as I'm HOPING that Proctor found something concrete to justify his comment that he was satisfied "beyond a reasonable doubt", which is why I fully support the BCCI appealing.
Also please verify your own facts - Symonds was supported by Hayden and Clarke who said they heard it. Gilchrist and Ponting I believe said they were only told about it (therefore their evidence would have been largely irrelevant).
Again read my comments - I urge the BCCI/Sachin to come out PUBLICLY and EXPLICITLY and say nothing was said. The alleged text message from Sachin was non-existent, and I honestly can say every Australian would believe Sachin if he told us the world was ending tomorrow!
Yuvraj was cited by umpires and CLEARED by Proctor. Check your own facts about officiating before commenting.
Also the author of "the real spirit of the game", "umpiring - biased or bad" "what is the BCCI thinking?" and "what is the (educated) world coming to?"
