Australia didn't play the Sydney test in the true spirit of the game?

[MantraMagic]

duno wtf krumble is on about.....

there are only 3 situations that he could mean.

1. Symonds not walking off the ground when he got given not out. Ok so Gilchrist and Sangakkara walk when they nick it, who the hell else does? I bet Krumble doesnt walk.

2. Harbhajan calling Symonds over and insulting him. Symonds basically responded and walked away...doubt this is it unless Krumble is insane which i dont fully rule out.

3. Clarke claiming a catch that was not a sitter at chest height. Not as if Clarke dropped it and picked it up and knew he dropped it, he thought he caught it.

Nonsense -

1. But most batsmen dont go around publically announcing that they nicked it and were lucky to be not given out. This would not have been such a huge issue if Symonds had kept his gob shut.

2. Get your facts right. Symonds walked over to Harbhajan (without direct provocation) and started "talking" to him first. Even Symonds has admitted this - he walked over because Harbhajan patted Lee on his backside. For some reason Symonds took more objection to it than Lee....

3. Clarke unfortunately seems like a pretty dishonest chap. Despite his three an over job he hasnt come out of this test match smelling of roses. Forgetting his edge to first slip incident, looking at the replays of his "catch", going forward Clarke's opinion of whether he took a catch cleanly should not be taken into account in any umpiring decisions.

 

[cameeel]

3. Clarke unfortunately seems like a pretty dishonest chap. Despite his three an over job he hasnt come out of this test match smelling of roses. Forgetting his edge to first slip incident, looking at the replays of his "catch", going forward Clarke's opinion of whether he took a catch cleanly should not be taken into account in any umpiring decisions.

Especially given that Clarke's judgement of line-ball catches has already been shown to be lacking in previous matches (3rd ODI vs. New Zealand anyone?)

 

[slugger]

umpires shouldnt be asking players about a fair catch.. they surely dont give them any help when theyve nicked it to the keeper.

 

[ozone]

3. Clarke unfortunately seems like a pretty dishonest chap. Despite his three an over job he hasnt come out of this test match smelling of roses. Forgetting his edge to first slip incident, looking at the replays of his "catch", going forward Clarke's opinion of whether he took a catch cleanly should not be taken into account in any umpiring decisions.

This needs to be forgotten because too much was made of it and it is probably more embarrasing for him looking back at it.

I agree with what you have said, but there will always be two opinions over this, one camp who thinks technology should be used where possible and one who thinks tradition should be kept at and the umpires should be given the final decision.

The short of it is that the traditionalists are those who are currently in charge of cricket and so the umpires are likely to keep control. However, over the past year especially, there has been a sway towards technology and so it will almost certainly be introduced over the next couple of years.

 

[Julian87]

I have seen Kumble say on video from the official match press conference:

"Only one team played the game in the true spirit of the game."

What is your view?

Bit harsh to admit that Harbajan called Symonds a monkey before his hearing.

 

[soulfulofunk]

Ponting is a poor leader

I can't believe Ponting and team complained about Singh. What a bunch of whingers. The worst sledgers in the game go crying to the authorities when a bowler (who happens to have Ponting rattled) gives some back. Australia were lucky to win that test yesterday with the balance of decisions going our way. And what is with Clarke standing his ground after being caught at first slip?!?

A very disappointed cricket fan.

 

[ozone]

Australia have always found it tricky to take sledging (e.g. McGrath, Sarwan) but racism is slightly different and as it has occurred before, it is more serious than other sledges.

 

[Agent TBY]

I'm tired of the McGrath - Sarwan example already.

It's not about taking sledges the same way you're dishing them out. It's about dragging your wife who's battling for her life into a petty, personal argument.

Mark Waugh has taken the worst kind of sledging and he's taken them quite well, I reckon.

 

[ozone]

I'm tired of the McGrath - Sarwan example already.

OK, How about Merv Hughes. Whenever anyone said anything to him, he would generally get quite worked up about it.

 

[Agent TBY]

OK, How about Merv Hughes. Whenever anyone said anything to him, he would generally get quite worked up about it.

Just an inherent feature of Cricketers with facial hair, I think.

 

[armchairumpire]

I was at the SCG for a couple of days of the Test. The crowd kept getting reminders on the large screen that we would be ejected from the ground or face a life ban if we said racist things. Why should the players be any different?

If the ICC had dealt with the 'monkey issue' when it first arose last year then this might not be an issue now.

 

[archie mac]

I can understand Kumble being upset with the umpiring, his team copped a poor run during the match, but come on, i have watched a lot of cricket, and India are no better or worse then any other team in appealing and putting pressure on the umpires

 

[armchairumpire]

The only new technology the umpires at the SCG needed were a couple of Guide Dogs.

 

[JBH001]

Funny how people all of a sudden forget Ponting saying he didn't take a catch at a crucial time in India's first innings...

Oh, please. Its not St Ponting now, is it? He merely did not claim a catch which replays showed he clearly did not catch. That is all. Good on him for doing so, although the cynic in me thinks that he was just simply clever enough not to take a catch which was conclusively not a catch (and have hell break loose later).

However, that said, I do not think Ponting is a cheat. At least not moreso than usually found by top players at this level of the game. But he certainly is not some sort of sportsman akin to the old fashioned near romantic ideal, not by a long shot.

 

[taitmachine]

No but I've been to India where culturally sports aren't encouraged as a career option. They love watching their cricket but not many people who have talent in it pursue it. That's the whole point why saying they have 1 billion people doesn't really prove anything.

This is spot on.

 

[JBH001]

I have seen Kumble say on video from the official match press conference:

"Only one team played the game in the true spirit of the game."

What is your view?

Kumble needs to harden tf up, tbph.

If he feels he was sucker punched by Ponting, then he should remind himself never to be taken in again. And he should try to regroup his side to go hard as possible at the Australians in Perth, and to attempt to stop the streak there (perhaps the hardest ground on which to do so too, especially if it is anywhere near being a quick track).

Basically, he may have a point (although I dont think he really does) but he needs to stop whinging and crying like a baby and get on with it with the fighting spirit he possesses.

 

[taitmachine]

At the end of the day it was good hard test cricket. Was great to watch & great for cricket. Yes there was some unsavoury events, but that adds to the spectacle. This whole "spirit of cricket" stuff is a myth, this disappaeared with the profesionalism of cricket - you now play to win. If you want to see "spirit of cricket" go and see your local social games - even then you won't see too many walking!

Yes there were some terrible decisions, but guess what thats cricket it happens all the time at all levels of cricket, just have to cop it. It does bring the question up of the standard of umpires - this is a problem worldwide - no one wants to umpire because of the hate directed at them so the standard gets poorer, the decisions get worse & on it goes. People need to cut the umpires a break to improve the quality.

We are also having to pay the price of having neutral umpires - what if the five best umps come from the one country? - some of them will miss out at the highest level in preference for lower quality umps from another country with a weak pool of umpires. We should be picking the best of the best & forgetting about neautrality.

Appealing when it is obviously not out will lose you more decisions than it will get you as the umpires will doubt you more often. India appealed for just as many not outs (probably more) as Australia did. You have every right to appeal its up to the umpire to judge. Australia did get overexcited on the last day as the tension built up - thats a natural part of the game - guaranteed india would have gone up for the Dravid catch & so they should have.

Lets be real about expecting top level players to walk is a pipe dream - I know blokes playing in very low level cricket who won't walk to protect their average of 5! Let the umps make the call & if you get away with it then good luck to you as we well know you may be given out next ball when you were nowhere near it!

Claiming catches is the same - let the umps make the call. This agreement between captains at the start of a series to take players word for it is totally flawed. Ponting is all for this (granted he did say he didnt catch one that I would have gone up for this game) but it just causes confusion, the umps should ignore the players thoughts altogether. If you are sure you caught it, it doesnt mean you did & vice versa - if you claim one that wasnt there then the whole agreement at the start is undermined.

All we want is both sides going it at it hard & if we have another the test as like this one then I will be happy even if Australia lose. Test cricket puts everyone under immense pressure including umpires and mistakes are made by those who can't handle the pressure this is all part of the theatre. It also highlights the best players thats why tests are the best form of the game.

 

[SJS]

. Whats ludicrous is the amount of **** being posted in the tour thread by certain posters from both sides as though they have big shiny halos on their heads.

Spot on

 

[SJS]

Kumble must have been under tremendous pressure having been present for most of the latter part of the last day on the field and with all that went on there and later on. It was clearly something he would have avoided saying a day later. However one felt about it, it was unfortunate that he used that phrase and I am sure Kumble would be wishing he had not used it.

Its not easy even for someone who is as level headed as Anil Kumble to maintain equanimity all the time. Maybe someone else like Sachin should have been asked to address the press conference at that time. Its never easy to remain cool in the face of a media willing you to provocation.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Kumble, Please stop it and be little more gracious in defeat, You sound like a sore loser. It was a tough loss and I can understand that but Australia earned it in the end. They are not responsible for umpiring mistakes, they were on the receiving end as well.

This is not the first time umpires have made some mistakes. It is clearly overstated here. India's famous win in Kolkata 2001 was really poor and heavily biased umpring and Steve Waugh didn't say a single word. Every one claims close catches, so let's not single out Ponting and his team.

As for the spirit of the game and all that..Please stop it. Your team mate was guilty of racial abuse and other team mates were supporting him. No sport is bigger than humanity. You need to learn and teach your team mates humanity before you talk about Spirit of the game.

Clearly have lost a lot of respect for him.

This is a wonderful post. Mucho respecto, Sanz.