New Feature - A Short History of Walking

[chasingthedon]

In the wake of the recent furore surrounding Stuart Broad's decision to stand his ground, David Mutton looks back at the changing attitudes to this divisive issue.

Cricket Web - Features: A Short History of Walking

 

[Agent Nationaux]

Is it true that it was Chris Broad who cleared Barbie when he refused to walk?

 

[Agent Nationaux]

Nice read

 

[Howe_zat]

Is David Mutton the chap who writes Silly Mid Off? Nice addition.

 

[wpdavid]

Is it true that it was Chris Broad who cleared Barbie when he refused to walk?

Cleared him of what, exactly?

As I said at the time, at least Stuart walks once the umpire has given him out, unlike his father on one famous occasion.

 

[Biryani Pillow]

Interesting article.

In the extensive reading on the history of the game I have done it is interesting that walking, or batsmen not waiting for the umpire to decide on 'boderline' catches, is not mentioned in reports, accounts or memoirs before the post WW2 period.

One notable player of the 20s/30s period reckoned that the amateurs never walked and if a paid player did they would certainly face the wrath of their captain and, depending on the importance of the player, might well be dropped for the following game. This was also the case before then.

I suspect that the social and economic pressures post WW2, which eventually meant the Gentleman and Players idea became untenable, caused the idea of 'walking' to appear. It gave the 'gentleman' a supposed superiority which kept them relevant.

 

[Hurricane]

I walked to a bat pad when I was 18 because I was 95% sure I had hit it. The captain was livid with me and told me he would drop me if I ever walked again precisely because on the spur of the moment you can be influenced by the pressure of the appeal he claimed. 95% sure is not good enough.