tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30531601.post6163549793329281659..comments2024-03-16T08:40:32.311+00:00Comments on Different Shades of Green: Hitting the FanBrian Carpenterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10336241250446877498noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30531601.post-38490857630928349452008-01-08T19:13:00.001+00:002008-01-08T19:13:00.001+00:00This comment has been removed by the author.Brian Carpenterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10336241250446877498noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30531601.post-91993332060644025952008-01-08T19:13:00.000+00:002008-01-08T19:13:00.000+00:00Good to hear from you again, Ed, and many thanks f...Good to hear from you again, Ed, and many thanks for the comment.<BR/><BR/>I think you can probably tell from the overall tone of the piece that I'm becoming completely fed up with international players abusing each other - it detracts from what is, as you say, a 'beautiful, elegant and subtle game' - and that goes for anyone, regardless of nationality. While I would agree that Australia - or Australian cricketers and their culture - have made the major contribution to the problem becoming as bad as it is, I don't think they're necessarily any worse than a number of other people who are around now - as I said, Andre Nel and the particularly inane Matthew Prior came instantly to mind. Re Sreesanth, I admit that in using the word 'lunatic' I was deliberately trying to elicit a reaction, but much of his behaviour since coming into the Indian side has been shameful - I'm thinking in particular of the running verbal battles he conducted with various Australian players (Symonds included, surprise, surprise) in the ODI series in October and, while I don't think the beamer was deliberate, the bouncer he bowled from about 18 yards to Paul Colingwood (from memory) surely was. As for his bowling, I'm an unashamed admirer - try clicking on his name in the labels section to see a selection of my views (the one posted on 16.12.06 is very representative).<BR/><BR/>The whole thing is very messy - the ICC have dug themselves into a huge hole again by replacing Bucknor, and Procter is surely going to be under pressure to justify why his verdict went against Harbhajan when there doesn't appear to be any corroborating evidence (from the umpires, for example, although you can imagine the Indian reaction if Bucknor was further involved). Lastly, if any recent Australian captain has had a 'sobering influence' I think it was Mark Taylor and not Steve Waugh. If anything, things started to get worse under Waugh after a brief improvement under Taylor.Brian Carpenterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10336241250446877498noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30531601.post-58604711841627755972008-01-08T13:35:00.000+00:002008-01-08T13:35:00.000+00:00Come on, Brian, surely the Aussies have got away w...Come on, Brian, surely the Aussies have got away with murder here, and their gun-ho attitude of arrogant and self-absorbed aggression (being allowed to revel in some horrific umpiring decisions, which Mike Procter should really have been able to address – after the 2006 Oval fiasco, it is surely time that the match referee was able to exercise some sanction over the mistakes of the on-field match officials…) has turned what should have been a close and exciting test match into a travesty of over-excitability, mixed with dishonesty.<BR/>It is time that the so-called Number 1 team in world cricket was called to account for such behaviour, which is ten times worse when they play at home and worse than for any other country playing at home (as England also suffered last winter, to a lesser degree). Let them be encouraged to learn how to play our beautiful, elegant and subtle game with the dignity, fairness and respect that it deserves. They have been particularly subject to such outbursts of belligerence since the end of Steve Waugh's sobering influence and sense of respect and our 2005 Ashes victory has only made them determined to behave in this unseemly fashion.<BR/>When it comes to Tendulkar's word against Ponting's, I know whom I trust more. And can you imagine Lara behaving with such truculence?<BR/>I agree with Peter English's article: http://content-www.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/current/story/329708.html<BR/><BR/>And 'the lunatic Sreesanth'? I am afraid I cannot share your joining in the media baiting of this talented, young and enthusiastic prospect for fast bowling on the sub-continent. Surely you don't really believe that the beamers of last summer were deliberate?Edmundhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11258984036392312439noreply@blogger.com