Finally, someone is standing up to the Aussies inexorable sledging. And, guess what, they can't take it and went crying to the referees. Let's hear the McGrath defense again on what he did to Sarwan and then reconcile with this whining :-)
Singh gives better than he gets
Comment by Ray Chesterton
October 14, 2004
I WOULD rather have a CD of Australia's batsmen being sledged by an Indian bowler than a newly discovered cache of lost Johnny Cash recordings.
It must have been fabulous.
But what on earth could Indian off-spinner Sikh Harbhajan Singh possibly have said that irked Australia so much in the first Test at Bangalore?
And how on earth did they understand what Harbhajan was saying in a local dialect?
Further investigation is obviously needed. A case of Sikh and ye shall find. Ouch. Even I wince at that one.
The clashes happened as Australia used its second innings to build a massive total to crush India and lead one-nil.
Highly combative Harbhajan was so enthusiastic about upsetting Australia he even sledged batsmen as he ran in to bowl.
And the stunned Australians are ropeable. They say such behaviour should be Singh's swansong unless he behaves. In the apparently harmonious world of cricket verbal exchanges, he is simply a discordant note.
I think it is deliciously and wonderfully ironic. How magnificently humiliating for the Australians to admit they have been bettered by a glib, more facile tongue.
Harbhajan has grabbed a kangaroo by the tail and is not letting go. He took 11 wickets in the first Test so he won't alter his style.
Now the abashed Australian players have asked administrators for relief from Singh's verbal aggression.
Turn it up.
Australia has bullied and intimidated opposing teams for decades. They know more about standover tactics than the mafia.
They would have sledged Mother Teresa if she looked like making runs.
Now someone has challenged what they thought was their exclusive heritage.
Harbhajan's approach was as "in-your-face" as anything Australia has ever conceived.
At one stage he even led the applause for Shane Warne conceding a century of runs in the Test.
"You don't mind getting sledged but he seems to be going non-stop all day," whined McGrath, apparently under the impression there is some sort of Marquis of Queensbury rules, and even a timetable, about fair play when sledging.
Australia's Damien Martyn complained to umpires about Harbhajan's behaviour adding just a touch of pots, kettles and the colour black.
Before Australia clashed with Harbhajan, their bilingual skills seemed to be as elusive as McGrath making his maiden Test century.
But they must have understood what was being said, even though the shrieking Sikh is thought to use local dialect as his verbal weapon of choice.
Australia's free-wheeling use of sledging has been detrimental to its overwhelming record of success for a long time.
It is poor sportsmanship and dilutes cricket's character.
It is unlikely Singh will cause Australia to re-think its use of sledging. But he is at least able to give as good as he gets.
chestertonr@dailytelegraph.com.au
