Let’s take a sledgehammer to boofhead Aussie bowlers

Eskimo says:

05:04am | 20/11/12

Your criticism is a bit one sided: Graeme Smith doesn’t come to this conversation without blood on his own hands. The South African captain thought it appropriate to ‘get into’ Ed Cowan during his innings.

TChong says:

06:18am | 20/11/12

Many years ago, I was watching a telecast match with a friend from the
sub continent #.
His periodical embarrassed laughter was due to several sub-continent players indulging in language and observations about all things Australian, that would have left many Aussies stunned and very pissed off , being audible via stump mics.
All sides have / do “sledge”.
The bewty of most sport, with very few exceptions, is what gets said on the field , stays on the field. 
So, dont worry Brian - most fans can separate game contexted sledging , from anything that is too sinister.
# “sub continents ” cause I can no longer recall if they were Indian, Bangladesh , Sri Lankan or Pakistan. (No offence intended)

Steve says:

06:22am | 20/11/12

All bowlers have an aggro side. Even the great calm Windies bowlers of yesteryear got pissed off with batsmen playing and missing or nicks falling just short of the slips. It’s hardly limited to Aussies.

What you have to be able to do is back it up with good bowling and be able to shake your opponents hand at the end and say ‘good game’. While Patto is only new to the Test arena he’s backing it up with his bowling, whereas maybe Siddle should just focus a bit more on line and length because that’s the only way you will get Amla or Kallis out, the seem pretty nonplussed about sledging.

Macca says:

06:38am | 20/11/12

Rubbish, the great bowlers, and batsmen for that matter, all chirp away at the opposition in a attempt to find that mental break. Glenn McGrath did it before a ballads bowled. Warnie did it as he was warming up, sometimes telling the batsmen exactly what he was going to do next. Steve Waugh, Matt Hayden and others through it back at the bowler when the moment suited.

The great moments of the India series last year was young Kohli shooting off at the mouth.

The sledge is part of what makes cricket so entertaining. Pattinson perhaps lacked subtlety last test, but that just increases the chances of him making a dill of himself. The formula ain’t broke, these blokes are still just mastering the art.

Mike says:

07:08am | 20/11/12

I like the irony that cricket is a gentleman’s game, yet if you so much as cough during golf (another gentlemanly pursuit), you’d be called unsporting. 

There should be more of it - in boxing, darts and weightlifting especially.

Build an aura says:

07:19am | 20/11/12

There is nothing more awesomely demoralising in the sporting arena than getting the better of your opponent without emotion, as if nothing they say or do was going to alter the outcome of them being obliterated off the park.

Let the skill do the talking…if you have to say anything, “thanks for showing up”.

I hate pies says:

07:19am | 20/11/12

You’re un-Australian Brian Kelly.

jgm says:

07:45am | 20/11/12

Let’s take a sledgehammer to boofhead Aussie commentators who borishly bring up the subject of sledging every year at the start of cricket season.

After all, everyone knows that only Australians sledge.

BJA says:

09:06am | 20/11/12

Spoken by a bloke who’s played at the highest level. Oh wait a sec.

A Real Wog says:

10:06am | 20/11/12

Personally, I like to see the quicks with a bit of fire. Gee at one stage during the commentary there was criticism level at Morné Morkel for not showing any aggression and I have to say that I agreed. The sad bit for me was that you chose to highlight a 5 second incident as opposed to Clarks near 10 hours at the crease chalking up a magnificent 259.  Seems to me you spent your time writing up the wrong story.

And as for the aussie aussie aussie chant, I’m not too fussed, but it seems to me that the US President is a fan. Again, you seem to be very out of step.

RKH says:

10:09am | 20/11/12

Talk about the ugly Australian on the cricket field if ever you want to see real arrogance in motion just watch the Australian Cricket Team strut through airports. It’s a wonder their big heads fit through the sliding doors

Kev says:

10:33am | 20/11/12

Who cares? If they’re taking wickets I don’t give a rats arse if they are sledging the batsman. It’s about time we had some bowlers who had a bit of aggro rather than the nice but ineffective bowlers of recent times.

Jay says:

12:00pm | 20/11/12

How the game of cricket has changed. It reflects society’s changes. Has Test cricket deteriorated to such a point that we need the fast bowlers openly bragging about what they are going to do to the opposition batsmen? One thing I always enjoyed about cricket was the genuine sportsmanship that existed. Clapping an opposition skipper when he came to the crease or when a batsman made 50 or 100. Trusting a fieldsman would be honest enough to admit if he caught it. Calling back a batsman when the umpire made an obvious mistake. Young players being respectful of their seniors and showing some courtesy and manners.Staying back at an opposition’s club and enjoying a beer or three and recapping the day’s play.Now it is swearing, sledging, intimidation and blatant cheating.Then at the end of the day get out away to go out and enjoy a night of binge drinking.The sad thing is that it starts from an early age with some coaches trying to win flags instead of properly educating them on the history and ethics of the game. What was once a great game that seperated us from the barbarians has been ruined. May God have mercy upon our souls.

Esteban says:

01:19pm | 20/11/12

” If Americans or Brits behaved like this, wouldn’t we be the first to give them grief?”

What the writer and I feel many people fail to recognise is that as a result of cricket being played in different ciltures there are different standards of what is considered as acceptable behaviour.

For example in 2009 when England used the physio to waste time and eventually force a draw the English press and cricket supporters thought it was a clever piece of sport even though it was not “letting the bat do the talking.”

I can guarantee you if Ponting had employed those tactics the press and all Australian cricket fans would have demanded he lose the captaincy.

In the same series the groundsman being instructed to prepare that short concrete airstrip and call it a wicket would not have happened. The English thopught it was clever although after the dust was settled there were many English fans who were uncomfortable.

In 2005 when the curator gave false information to Ponting once again the English thought it was clever but the Australians were dismayed because the word of our curators is good.

We could go on and on with further examples such as the way the 12th man was permanently on the field, Trescothick standing at first slip rubbing sugary saliva on the ball. All considered clever by English standards but considered to be outside the spirit of the game or even cheating by Australian standards.

Then we have Australian sledging. Considered part of the game by Australians but frowned upon by the English. By about 14 years old Australian boys are sledging each other so it is well and truly part of the Australian cricket experience.

Also lets bust this myth that only Australian sledge. All countries do it but Australians do it up front and visible as is the Australian way. There are plenty of others that do it albeit in a less visible fashion.

Less visible sledging and the Australians don’t complain because sledging is quite normal makes it look like only the Australians are sledging.

Ironically it is some of the quiet sledgers that complain the most when they cop a bit from an Australian.

Of course there is sledging that crosses a line but my belief is that it is not Australian that cross that line very often in their upfront way it is the quiet ones that most often cross the line.

I don’t want the game sanitised so every team from every culture behaves exactly the same.

The challenge is to try to understand the differences that make cricket more interesting.

So the message to the English supporter is try to get used to Australian sledging and we will try to come to terms with some of your bullshit tactics.

I hate pies says:

03:03pm | 20/11/12

What’s an app editor?

James says:

04:16pm | 20/11/12

Couldn’t be bothered writing an article on real mens issues so you churn this one out…

Ever stopped to think sledging is founded in psychology? You know brain stuff…..