Book by Gibbs exposes dark side of South African cricket: Read more

[sangrock]

JOHANNESBURG: Stories about sexual orgies, marijuana sessions and the dominance of a group of senior players in South Africa cricket squad have been exposed in out of favour opener Herschelle Gibbs' autobiography, which is releasing on Monday. The weekly 'Sunday Times' carried excerpts from Gibbs' book, a day before its release. The book graphically details the sexual exploits of the controversial player who has been in trouble for his late night binges and drunken driving charges, as well as leading players in smoking pot in the West Indies. Gibbs, who just last week confessed that he would have to work very hard to return to the national squad, could also incur the ire of fellow players after writing in his book that the Proteas are dominated by a clique of older players. "The team has been criticised for being run by a group of senior players - Graeme Smith, Jacques Kallis, Mark Boucher, and more recently, AB de Villiers," Gibbs wrote. "This inner circle splits the team in two and makes any chance of developing true team spirit among the Proteas impossible," said Gibbs, adding that former national coach Mickey Arthur had often bowed to them after trying to take them on. "Simply put, without Graeme's backing, he didn't have much influence over the guys. In the end, Graeme was simply too powerful." Gibbs also disclosed how the squad never regained its spirit after former captain Hansie Cronje, now deceased, got a life ban following his admission to match-fixing that was first uncovered by Indian authorities. "Things were never the same. I sympathised with Shaun Pollock (who took over from Cronje). He had a tough time filling Hansie's shoes and gluing the team together. But the Proteas never had that same togetherness under Polly (Pollock). He never socialised with boys too much." Gibbs was one of the co-accused with Cronje and Henry Williams, after allegations of match-fixing in Nagpur. He was suspended for six months after that, but still respects the late South African skipper. "(Despite) the cloud that hangs over his legacy, I can tell you that I've never played with anyone who possessed such a die-hard attitude to winning," Gibbs stated. The poor performance of the national team in recent years also came under fire from Gibbs, who was himself blamed for contributing to that. "We've got to admit that the Proteas have underachieved in international cricket over the past decade." Gibbs summed up his own indiscretions, which included a confession to pulling out some of his wife Tenielle Povey's hair while he was driving during a fight. "As explosive as my batting can be, it hasn't quite matched the pyrotechnics of my life off the field," Gibbs wrote.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/top-stories/Book-by-Gibbs-exposes-dark-side-of-South-African-cricket/articleshow/6846874.cms Not too surprising after Klunsner-Smith bustup.

[rahulrulezz]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/top-stories/Book-by-Gibbs-exposes-dark-side-of-South-African-cricket/articleshow/6846874.cms Not too surprising after Klunsner-Smith bustup.

Can you elaborate a bit on that

[kabira]

I would like to read this book.

[sangrock]

Can you elaborate a bit on that

http://www.cricinfo.com/southafrica/content/story/131583.html http://www.rediff.com/cricket/2008/jan/04inter.htm Even though things got better later during their careers and they seemed to have patched up.

[rahulrulezz]

http://www.cricinfo.com/southafrica/content/story/131583.html http://www.rediff.com/cricket/2008/jan/04inter.htm Even though things got better later during their careers and they seemed to have patched up.

Wow those remarks by Smith were harsh...Interesting read... Thanks buddy :icflove:

[Sir john]

smith now ruining albie carrier.:wall:

[ravishingravi]

" Stories about sexual orgies, marijuana sessions" I actually stopped right there. I m buying.

[achilles]

All that glitters is not gold... Gibbs' expose highlights this. And I've lost respect for Smith.

[kabira]

smith now ruining albie carrier.:wall:

Hows that??

[CSK Fan]

All that glitters is not gold... Gibbs' expose highlights this. And I've lost respect for Smith.

Believe me each team, including India will have skeletons in their closet. You cannot have a bunch of celebrities without having ego clashes.

[ravishingravi]

Gibbs claims nonsense’ Rejecting Herschelle Gibbs’ claims of sexual promiscuity, alcohol abuse and division in the side, South African cricket team manager Mohammad Moosajee has said the out-of-favour opener’s statements were “nonsense and disappointing”. “The players are very disappointed about the allegations because Herschelle is an excellent player and should rather be remembered for what he did on the field,” team manager Mohammad Moosajee was quoted as saying by the local media. “He was not a regular member of the team for the past two years and is therefore not in a position of comment on the team spirit. “Anyone who has viewed the team’s performances against Pakistan would have been able to see that it is nonsense. You can’t achieve results like that without a good spirit on and off the field,” he added. Smokey is cool! Shaun Pollock was the Proteas captain, and when we got to Antigua for the fourth Test. By the fourth day of the Test, it was already clear that we were going to win the match. Pollock was captain in that tour So, sitting in the changing room at the end of that fourth day I suggested that perhaps it might be fun for us to celebrate the sheer momentousness of the occasion by partaking of the local herb. As it happened, our liaison officer the local man who looked after us was nicknamed ‘Smokey’. On the bus on the way back to the hotel, I had a quiet word with old Smokey: ‘Smokey, what are the chances of organising us some weed? We’re probably going to win tomorrow and the boys want to partake.’ All he said was, ‘Cool.’ Smokey was very cool. The next day true to his promise, I saw Smokey standing there with a big plastic bag … and it was just bulging with weed. On aussie women It was one fat party. From mid-evening to the next afternoon. I enjoyed the company of … let’s say, more than one woman. The girls were really up for it ... You picked a girl up, (in the hotel’s bar) took her upstairs to your room and afterwards both of you would go back downstairs and you’d go and chat to someone else. It was a phenomenal night.” They are easy? Really? It was like going shopping. From the first day women were almost falling into our laps virtually every night. Australian women, I can tell you, are not afraid to speak their minds and make it crystal-clear what they’re after. Especially, as we found out, if you’re an international sportsman. They came hunting, often in packs, and if they liked what they saw, you were in for the ride of your life. On daryll cullinan I’m a pretty easy-going individual and I got along with most of my former Proteas teammates, but Daryll (Cullinan) wasn’t one of them. So I’m sharing a room with Daryll, and his wife Virginia phones him and he isn’t in the room. So I say, ‘Virginia, I’ll give Daryll the message. I’m sure he’ll get back to you soon.’ Daryll Cullinan Anyway, Daryll comes back to the room and I give him the message. I asked him later if he’s remembered to phone his wife. All he said was, ‘F*#k off. It’s got nothing to do with you.’ It just blew me right out of the water I was basically just covering his back, you know? And since that day I’ve never liked him. It’s tricky when you are teammates. I mean, you’re out there in the middle and the oke hits a bladdy four and you don’t really like him … now you have to say ‘good shot’, and you know and he knows that you don’t really mean it. http://www.mumbaimirror.com/printarticle.aspx?page=comments&action=add&sectid=59&contentid=2010110220101102031219610a24e90e5&subsite=

[achilles]

^^^ That is some honesty. This sneak peak hints that he's snipped off a lot of stuff. But kudos to the man for hitting it right on the money.

Believe me each team' date=' including India will have skeletons in their closet. You cannot have a bunch of celebrities without having ego clashes.[/quote'] Yep. The only reason why our players hated Greg was because they couldn't dominate him. We've got a history of going for soft coaches as our seniors want to be the bosses and the subcontinent players hate being told what to do, even when they are wrong. It is also well-documented what Dada has done. I think Dhoni is also down the same track.

[sangrock]

^^^ That is some honesty. This sneak peak hints that he's snipped off a lot of stuff. But kudos to the man for hitting it right on the money. Yep. The only reason why our players hated Greg was because they couldn't dominate him. We've got a history of going for soft coaches as our seniors want to be the bosses and the subcontinent players hate being told what to do, even when they are wrong. It is also well-documented what Dada has done. I think Dhoni is also down the same track.

The job of the coach is not dominate the players but to coach and manage them. Its one of his responsibilities to keep the egos from clashing in the dressing room. The concept of coach emerged very late, so I am not in complete agreement about "soft-coaches" comment. We do not see glamorous dominating coaches in cricket, its the players and the captain that take the glory. So, the idea of players being dominated by the coach should does not seem to be the best. The word that Guru Greg should have looked for was respect (like Guru Gary did :P ). Also the very idea of dominating a dressing room with giants like SRT, Dravid, Dada, Kumble sounds a little ridiculous - this is where the cultural difference pops up.

[Hindustani]

trying to sell his book as he is approaching retirement, nothing new, gilly did the same, everyone does it.

[ravishingravi]

On aussie women It was one fat party. From mid-evening to the next afternoon. I enjoyed the company of … let’s say, more than one woman. The girls were really up for it ... You picked a girl up, (in the hotel’s bar) took her upstairs to your room and afterwards both of you would go back downstairs and you’d go and chat to someone else. It was a phenomenal night.†They are easy? Really? It was like going shopping. From the first day women were almost falling into our laps virtually every night. Australian women, I can tell you, are not afraid to speak their minds and make it crystal-clear what they’re after. Especially, as we found out, if you’re an international sportsman. They came hunting, often in packs, and if they liked what they saw, you were in for the ride of your life.

Isn't it sad that with the embarassment of riches in Australia, Warne had to go all the way to pommie land for the elusive threesome.

[sangrock]

Isn't it sad that with the embarassment of riches in Australia' date=' Warne had to go all the way to pommie land for the elusive threesome.[/quote'] lol... but seriously - girls and money go hand in hand EVERYWHERE... even in relatively conservative "india"

[Nirvanam]

Something's fishy here... I can't rule out the possibility that these "revelations" are part of an upsetting of the SA team before we go there. Do you guys remember the announcement of Gilly as captain of the Deccan team just before the 2008 series against Aus? This one looks like that...something's telling me the BCCI is sleeping with the Convicts and learning their methods...lol!

[maniac]

I think gibbs is trying to create contoversy to sell his book...I wouldn't be surprised if the book is just about defending his mistakes and making others seem responsible for his problems rather than manning up and accepting his mistakes..... Seriously I have no respect for a guy who takes names or drags his collegues to make an extra buck.

[vaibhav_delhi]

hmm..good insight on the aussie girls. Imo, with his book, gibbs can kiss his chance of playing again for sa goodbye

[Nirvanam]

^^^ That is some honesty. This sneak peak hints that he's snipped off a lot of stuff. But kudos to the man for hitting it right on the money. Yep. The only reason why our players hated Greg was because they couldn't dominate him. We've got a history of going for soft coaches as our seniors want to be the bosses and the subcontinent players hate being told what to do, even when they are wrong. It is also well-documented what Dada has done. I think Dhoni is also down the same track.

Nah...I think it had lot more to do with Greg Chappell's inability to learn to be a good leader than anything else. All of us, in our professions have seen Leaders, Managers, and we ourselves have been Managers and Leaders of teams...what is the first thing we do when we have a totally new team? We listen...we "pace" with them...walk at their pace, understand what ticks and what doesn't for each individual. Its only when we earn the respect and trust of the team that we change the "pace" to suit our style...because then the team learns to walk at the Leader's pace. Chappell did not have this basic leadership quality in him...he thought he was some great military General and he could order the folks around...sorry Guru Greg it dunn work like that especially when u are working with a culture that is different from yours....a good leader always listens and learns the ways of the new culture before demanding others follow his culture, his methods. Greg Chappell was useless as a Leader...big mouths are not great leaders. A leader is one in which the individuals of a team put their faith in and trust him to share their inhibitions, apprehensions, insecurities in the hope that the Leader will help them and while doing so, he maintains the integrity of the relationship. Chappell screwed it up badly...he was untrustworthy and he destroyed Indian cricket. He took a team that was well and truly ready to take over from Australia back in 2005 itself and turned them into a complete nonsensical shambles. The moment his influence and auric energy left the dressing room, the Indian team transformed...we won in England, won the World Cup, beat Pak, came close to winning in Aus, beat them in the ODI series, and basically other than the SL series in 2008 are yet to taste any major defeat. Chappell identified Raina as a talent, fair. However he screwed up a very serious talent like Irfan, almost finished off Viru, and by the time he was done he made Rahul unsure of himself and his own abilities. Greg Chappell was not interested in India becoming better, he was more bothered about whether his ideas will be implemented or not. He was least concerned about the effectiveness of his methods...even a simple Entry Level Engineer / Professional understands how Team work can be fostered...this guy was divisive. He was more interested in the massaging of his ego via the implementation of his recommendations than taking the team to the next level. Seriously, ask yourselves this question: you have a team of hardened professionals, all raring to climb the next mountain with the enthusiasm of teenagers and possessing the talent of the very best plus being blessed with the experience of climbing such mountains. This bunch of people have been grooming newcomers in their own ways and forming an extremely strong team bond and all of them in unison tell their Guru, "we are ready for the last 500 meters of Mt.Everest left for us to reach the top". The Guru then tells them "No, let us abort the mission, let us all go down to the first base camp of the mountain and start building a new conquest so that we can make it to the top in the next 4 years." Then the seniors in the group question, "But Guru we are almost there...its right in our sight...just 500 mts, we have come so far with all the pain and sacrifices and single minded dedication. We have carried our new boys along with us and now they are carrying us. Pls its just 500 mts, with one push we will make it. Once we get there, we can start building for a different team to scale the top. We have come so far...let's not waste the last 6 years of effort" The Guru says "Shut Up you selfish idiots! You fools, can't you see it is this aspect of your culture of unnecessary reverence to your seniors and their ambitions that is dragging you down? Follow my mantra and you will succeed else I will reveal all your insecurities to the media." What's the best thing that can happen in such a situation for all involved, including the Guru? Part ways. And Indian cricket saw an almost instantaneous revival.