Australians on the Cricket Field

Australians on the Cricket Field

The fire and heat generated from the so called allegations of racial comments by the off spinner Harbhajan Singh, is not only reaching to every elite and common of entire cricketing world but also forcing to come out with own views over the allegations and decision of match referee over the issue.

Most recent reports says that BCCI, handed over the authority of taking the final decision in this regard to President Sharad Powar, who went on to say that Indian option of calling the tour off, is still open, if the ICC appeal commissioner is going with decision of match referee. He also expressed unhappiness over the behavior of the Australian players and cricket board for being the reason for these situations. Shall I need to memorized that Sharad Powar was the person who almost thrown out from the dais and pointed out a place away from the central stage by the Australian cricket team lead by same captain Ricky Pointing during the prize distribution ceremony of ICC Championship at Mumbai. It was tolerance and sportsmanship of Indians that Sharad Powar took this shameful Australian action as the act performed under the influence of over enthusiasm and not only excused the Australian players for this insulting and shameful public behavior but also not complained about it to ICC. Might Mr. Sharad Powar had not shown that generosity and lodged an official complain with ICC. Surely in that case ICC will be left with only option of coming with very strong action against the Australian captain and players, because there were crystal clear video evidence for this shameful action of Australian players, but that not happened and right looking attitude for own actions of Australian players allowed to grow. Whatever the crises entire cricketing world is presently facing is generated from this attitude of Australian players.

Whatever you earn through the hard work of years might slip from your hand by just one wrong behavioral action; this is what a common Indian father teaches to children. No doubts Australians are the most talented and skilled one in the entire cricketing world, their zeal for winning and putting in the efforts, dedication for the game and professional attitude has made them mighty and almost unbeatable team of cricketing world, but it is also a fact that over the years, especially after the Ricky Pointing started to lead the team, their behavior on the field is not matching with the behavior of undisputed kings of the game and a champion team. The door for criticism has made opened not by any one else but by the Australian players, the Sydney match referee only went on to put the petrol in the fire.

Allegations against the Harbhajan, has asked the entire cricketing world to come with words about the ground behavior of the Australian team after all the art of sledging was originated and implemented by the Australian cricketers over the years. The filtering in reports says that many past and present cricket players are putting their words opposing the action of Australian players for reporting about Hatbhajan. According the kiwi player Patel, Australians have used more abused word than the “monkey” for him at several occasions though he refused to say something about the guiltiness of Harbhajan. In a column with Dominikan Post Morison, who represented country in the decades of 70’s and 80’s, say that if the Australians cricket players are with a little bit honesty than surely they will feel shame of the self action. To the former kiwi captain Fleming all this was started as the child play of school going children and went on to be a complicated matter with decision of match referee as there were no sufficient evidences. Fast bowler Doll also seems of this vision according to him match referee had not played his role in proper way, there was nothing in the matter specially in the lack of clear and strong evidences.

Divided Cricketing World

Divided Cricketing World

In India there is a saying meaning never try to cross the limits, you never no your which of your slightest mistake might going to prove the blinder one and may cause the question of life and death. Cricketing world is presently going through the same phase of existence over the issues of storms generated from the disputes over the Sydney test match between India and Australia and turn of situations taken place there after.

One thing is sure umpiring standards at the Sydney were the ever worst and partial ever since the history of the game. In my previous blog post I had already wrote that neither Australia won nor India lost the Sydney test but umpires allotted this test to Australia so the Ricky Pointings team may equalizes the Australian recode of 16 successive test victory and move to Perth, where the ground situations are comparatively more favorable for the Australian team, to go on creating new world record of successive test match wins. All of this was going on smooth roads but might the successive dismissal by the Indian spinner Harbhajan was playing with the mind of Australian captain Ricky Pointing or might the thought process of Andrew Symonds went on to see this as the most appropriate time for taking revenge of harsh treatment given to Australian all rounder at Mumbai by the cricket lover during the last tour of Australia to India. Recall the statements of the player just after the Australian tour to India was ended, in Australian press for requesting the Australian people not come with reciprocal action during the tour of India to Australia. Any way charges of racial comments were framed against the Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh and series of mistakes ends when the South African match referee Mr. Proctor banned Bhaji for three test matches. India which has a proven record of opposing racialism reacted with natural hard stand over the issue. A cloud of suspect created over the smooth conduction of the remaining part of the Indian tour to Australia.

ICC was forced to appear in the dispute and for settlement of high tensions created, came forward with withdrawing the participation of disputed umpire Steev Buckner and suspended, not given the clean chit, orders of match referee against Harbhajan. British media, West Indian Cricket board and some others are blaming ICC for bowing down before the economic powers of Indians [ India contributes almost 70% of ICC revenue] and deciding the issue in favor of Indian team. Here I will love to include two things first I will salute to Australian citizens and press for taking the true sportsmanship over the issue even though the mistake coming players were representing their own country. Second I would love to see the reaction of British media or the West Indian cricket board if instead of India might the English or West Indian was playing in the Sydney test against the Australia, here I am leaving apart the issue of charges of racial comments.

As for as my cricketing knowledge suggest, Australian players were the first to bring the sledging in the game of cricket and implement it successfully against the opponents over the years under the sweet name of mind game tactics. Surely it is amazing even to listen that Australians players are complaining about the reciprocal action from the irritated opponent. In my view the true racial behavior is this and not the reaction of Indian spinner, I am sure Harbhajan has not reacted in the manner in which he reported by the Australian players. I wish to say to Australian players to remember this neither the love nor the war, where everything will be treated fair. This is the game of cricket, an exhibition ground of skills and talent; learn the lesson from the Sydney and stop so called mind game of sledging opponents, other wise the cricketing world will under go many such occasions of reaching to dangerous dead end of division.

Cricketing World after Sydney summit

Cricketing World after Sydney summit

A new chapter has been started in the history books of the world cricket. Sometime in the futures this might be called as the effects of Indo – Australia Test match at Sydney. The cricketing achievements like the 16th successive win by Australian team, 38th Test century of Master blaster Sachin Tendulkar, 29th test century of Haiden etc. will go in the darkness of background generated from the unfair partial and one sided decisions of umpires Steeve Buckner and Benson. Even the TV umpire [third] was not hesitated for being the part of non rational and non justified umpiring as he refuse to declare Australian Batsman Andrew Symond out stumped even when the TV coverage was clearly showing that batsman was not in the crease when bells dislodged by the Indian wicketkeeper M.S. Dhoni. In this atmosphere ICC match referee had also played his part not only justifying the catch of Sourav Ganguli taken by Clarck, where as the reply made it very much clear that catch was not completed as with the falling of the fielder on the ground ball went on to touch the ground, but also went on recommending a three match ban on Indian spinner Harbhajan for so called racial comment “Big Monkey” for Australian player Andrew Symonds, though neither there were any audio/video evidence nor the ground umpires supported the blame.

ICC later on, under the pressures of Indian players and BCCI, who threaten to call off the tour, agreed to prevent further participation in the series by disputed ground umpires and allowed Harbhajan to play in the series till the ICC chief match referee look into matter. Though for a time being things seems to be settled down and it appears that series will go according to predefined schedules but that will happen only if ICC reach to a decision within next seven days, the ultimate time given by the Indian players. If ICC fails to resolve the issue within time limit or the Appeal commissioner upholds the decisions of match referee there are more chances that Indian players will refuse to be further part of the series and might BCCI will also decide in favor of calling the tour off.

I am being a strong positive minded person hence even these most dark situations are the brightly shining one for me, you surely will agree with me when we together will have impacts of all this on the cricketing world. Technological excellence has provided a space for the highlighting the mistakes committed by the field umpires. Like the Tennis we can’t allow to umpires to stand on the ground just for calling the over and let the other decisions be made with the help of technology. I am also not agree with upcoming demand of challenging umpires decision by the captain as this will result in loosing the friendly spirit in which game is being played. I would like to increased active participation of ICC match referee, who is at present there just to relax and once a while impose a fine for slow bowling rate or helps the ground umpires in deciding the number of over in a rain curtailed match and seldom be the part of controversy like the Sydney test match. As the ground umpires are observing the match without the help of technology so they are bound to make mistake and help to create situations resembling with Sydney test hence my suggestion is that match referee must be given powers of rectifying the human mistakes committed by the field umpires. Whenever an appeal is made by the fielding side, the decision of field umpires must be reviewed by the match referee within next five minutes and in case of mistake batsman should be called back or called of the ground accordingly. This will not only release the tension of field umpires but will make the game more fair and interesting. As for as the front foot No ball is concerned on the terms of tennis a sound activated system can be activated.