I have immeasurable respect for Kumble during this series. Lionhearted bowling, spirited captaincy and determined batting.
BUT "only one team playing in the spirit of the game?". My contention - NEITHER team was!
Firstly Australia: (a) not walking when obvious - I agree that walking is optional but "it's just not cricket" when Clarke edges to first slip and stands his ground. Symonds however was honest - "yes I nicked it on 30, but I could also sit here and tell you about the number of bad decisions I have got" (b) aggressive appeals - pioneered by Indian spinners on home tracks (ie appeals for bat pad catches with the bat held high in the air), improved by Sri Lankans and Pakistanis, and perfected by Mr. Shane Warne. But really, what team pushing for a world-record equalling victory doesn't aggressively ask the question at any opportunity? I'd bet my life that most Indian fans would kill to be in the same position as the Australian juggernaut! (c) Catches - I will discuss in my next instalment
Now India: (a) aggressive appealing - ie Kumble appealing for LBW when Hogg drove through the offside for 2 runs (b) Over rates - deliberately slowed down - such as calling for shinguards for ball 6 of an over! (c) Ishant - coming out with 2 left gloves with 9 minutes to go, followed by Pathan laughing with the replacement glove!
If you want to take the moral high ground, your own house needs to be in impeccable order. IMHO, India doesn't have a leg to stand on.
RE:The real spirit of the game
by raj on Jan 08, 2008 07:16 PM Permalink
oh well, some piddly reasons. australia were the side who were tremendously slow. they bowled at 12.2 overs per hour.
sledging is far worse than aggressive appealing.
who says aussies arent aggressive in appealing. they are superb actors, and fake quite well, and have a better rate of getting people out, cos they are the champions, and they cant be argued against!
RE:The real spirit of the game
by on Jan 08, 2008 07:33 PM Permalink
He didn't say Australia didn't agressively appeal he just said India do it as well. It highlights the Indian hypocracy in this issue. We don't claim to be saints we play tough hard cricket (at all levels of the game) which includes sledging - even about our parent's - you either handle it and let it make you concentrate more or you quit and take up golf. In the case off Hogg calling Kumble a "lucky barstard" this is not a nasty term in Australia in other words the term bartstard is not meant literally. It's like if we are shocked about something we might say f**k me - it doesn't mean we want you to do it.
RE:RE:The real spirit of the game
by raj on Jan 08, 2008 07:39 PM Permalink
indians dont want sledging. period. so is the rest of the world. they are tired of sledging. it might be the aussie way of calling each other whatever. the rest of the world is tired. im tired of listing how many player from all the countries dont like it. simply put. keep the aussie way in australia, and play cricket without sledging. the lucky.... hwtaver is the worst abuse in india. its beyond racism. its an insult to you parents. people can stab or can get violent in india for that.
RE:The real spirit of the game
by on Jan 08, 2008 07:26 PM Permalink
Raj, you should read my comments more carefully before replying.
My point is that Kumble made a big statement that "only one side is playing in the true spirit of the game". My contention - this is false. Neither India NOR Australia were playing in the true spirit of the game. Both were slow in over rates, both were aggressively appealing.
I'm mildly amused by your description of my (fairly even-handed) comments as "piddly reasons"!
Perhaps a poor analogy, but it's like a robber telling a murderer "only one of us is upholding and abiding by the law"!!!!
RE:The real spirit of the game
by raj on Jan 08, 2008 07:35 PM Permalink
dude, check the reactions in other cricketing country. its like" oh the australians are at it again. serves them right if they are brought to justice for their sledging". " they started it all, and now THEY are whingeing?" etc etc.
i knew that i wont even comment about that. kumble felt he had a bad test match. indians probably sledge upto 10% of what the aussie blkes do. remember what bhajjie said. yu guys are ignoring what this guy's been upto before framing me, he's been abusing me for the last half an hour or so constantly at it. kumble's other grouse is the fact that ganguly's grassed catch was seen by ganguly and he felt that it was not in the right spirit. also dravid's decision again by (gasp!) gilly. well, rightly so.
RE:RE:The real spirit of the game
by on Jan 08, 2008 07:46 PM Permalink
I'm sorry Raj but again people need to read what I'm saying more clearly before commenting:
1) I have not said anything (as yet) about the Australian's behaviour - that will follow shortly but in summary they behaved without grace in victory, without humility and without compassion for Kumble's valiant struggle. Therefore the rest of the world's comments are wholely and completely irrelevant.
2) Kumble said "only one team is playing in the true spirit of the game". The one team he is referring to is India. My point is that India were also not playing within the true spirit of the game, just that they may have been less guilty than Australia.
I'm sure you are intelligent enough to know that if someone is less guilty (rather than innocent), they are still guilty of something and shouldn't be drawing comparisons.
Mind you, I have no problem with Kumble saying it in the heat of the moment, my issue is taken with Indian fans who have picked up on it as a catchcry to rally the masses.
RE:The real spirit of the game
by raj on Jan 08, 2008 07:54 PM Permalink
you will know the feeling when yu have so many crucial decisions going against yu, AND losing the match that could be saved, AND when the opposition celebrate like they have won a war and rubs it in after all those wrong decisions and false accusation agains t bhajji
