Dear Editor,
I have read about what is called “sledging” among cricketers, and this only takes place when cricket is played in Australia. I wonder why. Let us just go back a little, and see if we can learn something.
The entire nation of Australia, from the Prime Minister down, a few years ago, launched a campaign against bowler Muralitharan from Sri Lanka when he was leading Australian Shane Warne in the bowling figures. He was criticized because of an alleged illegal bowling action and this despite all the tests which showed he was doing nothing wrong. Murali refused to play again in Australia and Warne won the record. But God is not a bajan and Murali has now surpassed him by leaps and bounds.
Australian Gilchrist bats with added padding in his gloves and when a complaint was made the authorities said nothing was wrong. But when Dhoni took magnificent catches, and also dispatched Gilchrist the complaint was made and Dhoni had to give up the gloves.
When Indian bowler Sharma and Australian Symonds had whatever problem on field, Sharma was fined 15% of his match fee. The match referee Crowe explained that “Sharma may have been provoked and this was his first offence.” Provocation is an action of insult likely to provoke physical retaliation (Concise Oxford Dictionary 9th Ed).The complaint against Sharma was that he signalled Symonds to return to the dressing room when he was out. The umpire held that to be aggressive. He did not take into consideration that Symonds provoked that incident. Sharma did not use violence. Crowe said that was Sharma’s first offence. He did not take into account also that Symonds was also involved in incidents before, especially the one with Singh. Australian Hayden called Singh “an obnoxious weed”. He was only reprimanded, and no further action taken.
We shall look forward with bated breath to see how the action against Marlon Samuels will play out.
Yours faithfully,
Christian Singh
