The Sport, or otherwise, of Cricket
 

Here’s a subject that should get some of you all fired up. What happened to cricket being a gentleman’s game, a gentleman’s sport. Seems like sportsmanship in the game is a long forgotten part of it, as shown in the latest controversial happening. This latest might be lawful according to the rules of the game but to my way of thinking ‘it’s not cricket’. Should it have been allowed?

By the way, I have lived away from the country for many years but I still barrack for dear old England, so it doesn’t matter to me what anyone says.

Re: The Sport, or otherwise, of Cricket
 

I put it down to money Dotti. There's so much money at stake in sport these days which has led to so called gentlemanly conduct and possibly ladylike conduct going out of the window. I used to love any sport but increasingly I only find myself enjoying it away from the top levels where people are still playing for the love of the game.

Re: The Sport, or otherwise, of Cricket
 

I think you are absolutely right, Lost in Cornwall.

Re: The Sport, or otherwise, of Cricket
 

I also think it is down to money, but also the Ashes are iconic and I feel that the Australian cricketers do not have the British sense of FairPlay.
They have instead, the ethos of ‘we must win at any cost’ and will employ whatever is necessary to ensure that they win.
We have seen in past Ashes matches the stitching being unpicked on cricket balls…balls being scuffed and other questionable tactics including sledging.

I am not a fan of any kind of sport, but I do not respect those who do not play the game in a fair way, because they are cheats.
They cheat themselves, they cheat their country and they cheat the supporters when they do not play fairly.

Re: The Sport, or otherwise, of Cricket
 

[QUOTE=Margaret Pilkington;1272877]I also think it is down to money, but also the Ashes are iconic and I feel that the Australian cricketers do not have the British sense of FairPlay.
They have instead, the ethos of ‘we must win at any cost’ and will employ whatever is necessary to ensure that they win.
We have seen in past Ashes matches the stitching being unpicked on cricket balls…balls being scuffed and other questionable tactics including sledging.

I am not a fan of any kind of sport, but I do not respect those who do not play the game in a fair way, because they are cheats.
They cheat themselves, they cheat their country and they cheat the supporters when they do not play fairly.

Marge, as you know I was always into sports at woodnook school, I was the goal keeper for the school and the deputy keeper for Accrington schoolboys, I was also the wicket keeper for woodnook, even at fourteen or fifteen years of age, Milton Suthers, remember him ? taught us that until the ball was called "out of play", then it was still (in play) but then again maybe because of the mega bucks that they get paid today they have forgotten the rules in order to win at any (COST).

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P.S The Aussie wicket keeper was perfectly Within the rules.

Re: The Sport, or otherwise, of Cricket
 

If that is the case then why were those MCC members calling the Aussie team ‘cheats’?
were they just being sour losers? You would think that these members of the MCC would be fully aware of the rules.
My limited understanding of this was that Bairstow thought the over was over (a dead ball situation)and left his crease…the wicket keeper saw the main chance and stumped him.
So while it might have been a legal declaration I doubt that it was ‘fair’.

Re: The Sport, or otherwise, of Cricket
 

The point I was trying to make is that winning at all costs seems to have overtaken sportsmanship in cricket, once known as the sport of gentlemen. Yes, the latest incident is allowable according to the rule book but does not come under the heading of sportsmanship. A misunderstanding by the batsman was, in my opinion, unfairly taken advantage of.

Personally I do not watch cricket these days as it can be very boring. The exciting time in cricket was when such players as Sir Viv Richards and Clive Lloyd showed their brilliance. Now that was cricket worth watching – especially the one-day matches.

Re: The Sport, or otherwise, of Cricket
 

Yes. The Australians actions were within the rules but outside what I would call sportsmanship. There seems to be evidence that similar things have happened in the past following which the team claiming the wicket changed their mind on the basis that good relationships were better than slavishly sticking to the rules. Winning at all costs sees to have overtaken this. Although done in a completely different way there was a similar incident in the womens World Cup Final where an England player was run out whilst backing up. Polite procedure says she should have been warned first but winning at all costs overuled this.

Re: The Sport, or otherwise, of Cricket
 

[QUOTE=Margaret Pilkington;1272888]If that is the case then why were those MCC members calling the Aussie team ‘cheats’?
were they just being sour losers? You would think that these members of the MCC would be fully aware of the rules.
My limited understanding of this was that Bairstow thought the over was over (a dead ball situation)and left his crease…the wicket keeper saw the main chance and stumped him.
So while it might have been a legal declaration I doubt that it was ‘fair’.

Marge, Fair or not rules are rules and as I said earlier, Milton Suthers, drummed the rules of football and cricket into us at 14/15 years of age, sorry Marge but Bairstow was at fault not the keeper.

Re: The Sport, or otherwise, of Cricket
 

yep but it was not sportsmanship simple as,the aussies will do anything to have a better chance of winning.

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Why do you keep on quoting Milton Sutherland Taddy…he is long gone.

And he knew what sportsmanship was. I believe that he would have been more sportsmanlike’ and he would have accepted that this was a ‘dead ball’ situation.

Yes the rules were adhered to, but as Dorothy said it is not the gentleman’s game that it once was.

I don’t care about the outcome of the Ashes, but I do believe it is no longer about the sport and more about the money.
I also believe that had it been an Aussie batsman and an English wicket keeper, the outcome would have been different.

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im damn sure it would be different,

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That should read Milton Suthers, but my iPad thinks it knows what I want to say

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[QUOTE=cashman;1272894]yep but it was not sportsmanship simple as,the aussies will do anything to have a better chance of winning.

When our English players of what ever sport are being paid "Squillions" of pounds in order to play a Hobby/ Game that they love, then at least they should know the rules, if I, not being a smart A---, was taught the rules at 15/16 years of age, (and can still remember them at 76 years of age) it does not bode well for our future in (any), Sport. It seems quite obvious to me Cashy
that you did not participate in any sport as a youngster but you are prepared to
watch sport of any kind and be prepared to criticize anyone who Actually Knows the rules, i.e. the umpires,
Kind regards, Taddy.